Digital Inclusion Service

Hina Bokhari: Will you commit to producing a monthly report on the progress of the new Digital Inclusion Service in the areas of upcycling old devices for distribution to digitally excluded, providing free or low-cost mobile connectivity, linking to existing skills offers and creating a cross-London digital inclusion network of organisations?

The Mayor: The London Office for Technology and Innovation (LOTI) work in the open and share weekly updates and progress against significant milestones. This will take the form of publishing live updates on Basecamp, weeknotes, ‘show and tells’ and workshops.
The first 12 months of the pilot are focused on designing and developing a service that meets its users’ needs, primarily London Boroughs and Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations. Key areas this design work will cover are device upcycling, creating an offer that includes a suitable device, skills and mobile data as well as expanding the network of VCS organisations (including libraries) who are vital in distributing the service to Londoners.

London-wide Digital Inclusion Service (3)

Marina Ahmad: How will the London-wide Digital Inclusion Service support Londoners with access to online banking and online local authority services which can be difficult to navigate?

The Mayor: The Digital Inclusion Service will offer digital skills development, via Good Things Foundation’s ‘Learn My Way’ platform as part of its holistic offer. The platform offers a range of courses for beginners, including navigating public services, e.g. applying for Universal Credit and online banking.
The approach will be to learn what works and what else is needed to develop digital skills and will look into options to augment skills provision where needed by working with other organisations.

London’s Green Hubs (1)

Leonie Cooper: How many of the 22 Mayor’s Academy Programme (MAP) hubs include green skills programmes?

The Mayor: The Mayor’s Academy Programme (MAP) is designed to help address skills shortages in sectors key to London’s recovery, including green, and to support Londoners most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic into good work. There are five green skills hubs and an additional hub focusing on green and digital skills. These hubs all went live in March 2022.

London’s Green Hubs (2)

Leonie Cooper: What is the expected capacity of the Green Hubs? How many are currently enrolled on programmes at the hubs?

The Mayor: The Mayor’s Academies Programme (MAP) is designed to help address skills shortages in sectors key to London’s recovery, including green, and to support Londoners most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic into good work.
The GLA is funding coordination activity to improve and make more responsive skills and employability provision rather than funding actual provision. The green hubs are forecast to support 4,665 Londoners through new training and education as a result of hub activity over the programme lifetime. Hubs are currently rolling out delivery, with progress on their first full quarter of activity due to be reported at the end of July 2022.

London’s Green Hubs (3)

Leonie Cooper: How many years are the hubs funded for?

The Mayor: The Mayor’s Academies Programme (MAP) is designed to help address skills shortages in sectors key to London’s recovery, including green, and to support Londoners most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic into good work.
The first round of hub funding went live in March 2022 and runs until March 2024.

London’s Green Hubs (4)

Leonie Cooper: How many places are available to upskill Londoners for green jobs through the Green Hubs? Please provide a year-by-year breakdown of the available places.

The Mayor: The green hubs are forecast to upskill 4,665 Londoners through new training and education as a result of hub activity over the programme lifetime, with 2,380 moving into employment in 2022/23 and 2,285 in 2023/24.

London’s Green Corridors

Leonie Cooper: What will be the net gain in green space if all these schemes are implemented?

The Mayor: As set out in MQ2022/2419 I’m supporting the creation of green corridors and improving habitat quality through several of my green space grant schemes and other programmes, including Future Neighbourhoods and CLEVER Cities. . Many of these projects improve the quality of existing green spaces, for example by restoring mown amenity grass to wildflower meadow, which is crucial in providing wildlife habitats.
Grant recipients are asked to report on the area of green space improved or created as part of grant monitoring. My Rewild London Fund projects should improve or create 253 hectares of green space. It is not possible to provide a figure for ‘green corridor’ projects as funded projects are not categorised into types of project this way. It is also not possible to separate figures about ‘corridors’ from total project outputs, as projects will often have several greening elements of which corridors or stepping-stones are a part.

Steps to Increase London’s Biodiversity (1)

Leonie Cooper: What small steps can Londoners living in houses take to increase biodiversity?

The Mayor: We know that there are over three million gardens in London but research from London Wildlife Trust showed that they’re turning from green to grey. Londoners can help biodiversity by taking up a patch of paving and replacing it with drought-tolerant plants, especially plants for bees and butterflies. Making a small pond in a container can really help wildlife. You can add more green by creating green roofs on sheds or flat roofs. Also think about providing other food and shelter for wildlife, for example by feeding birds, making a bee hotel or planting a hedge.
How we all manage our gardens has a big collective impact and can also help absorb rainwater and help us adapt to a changing climate.
www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/environment/parks-green-spaces-and-biodiversity/grow

Steps to Increase London’s Biodiversity (2)

Leonie Cooper: What small steps can Londoners living in flats take to increase biodiversity?

The Mayor: I’m encouraging all Londoners to get involved in helping to make our city greener, healthier and wilder. Londoners can help biodiversity by growing plants for bees and other pollinators. If you live in a flat and have a balcony there are lots of plants which thrive in pots. If your flats have communal green space you can work with other residents to help ensure these are managed for wildlife by leaving areas of long grass, planting for pollinators and including water for wildlife.
Depending on the type of building you live in, you may be able to put up bird or bat boxes or ask your building owner to do so. Swifts in particular like nesting up high. Londoners can also get involved in counting our wildlife to help us understand which plants and animals are thriving or struggling.
There are lots of ideas on our website here:
www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/environment/parks-green-spaces-and-biodiversity/grow

Steps to Increase London’s Biodiversity (3)

Leonie Cooper: What small steps can Londoners living in homes of multiple occupancy take to increase biodiversity?

The Mayor: I’m encouraging all Londoners to get involved in helping to make our city greener, healthier and wilder. If your home has a communal green space or balcony you can work with other residents to help make space for wildlife by leaving areas of long grass, planting for pollinators in pots or the ground and including water for wildlife. Even the smallest of spaces can make a difference. Also think about providing other food and shelter for wildlife, for example by feeding birds, making a bee hotel or planting a hedge.
Depending on the type of building you live in, you may be able to put up bird or bat boxes or ask your building owner to do so. Londoners an also get involved in counting our wildlife to help us understand which plants and animals are thriving or struggling.
There are lots of ideas on our website here:
www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/environment/parks-green-spaces-and-biodiversity/grow

Warmer Homes Advice Service

Leonie Cooper: How do you promote the Warmer homes Advice Service to make sure that those in need know how to access it?

The Mayor: Please see Mayor’s Question 2022/0013. The total number of London households assisted by the Warmer Homes Advice Service is now over 15,000.

Register of Skilled Retrofit Contractors

Leonie Cooper: A register of skilled retrofit contractors could be useful in giving Londoners peace of mind in the training and skills of those undertaking expensive work on their properties. Would you consider working with other organisations to organise one?

The Mayor: It is important that Londoners have confidence in the competency, training, and skills of those working on their homes. Achieving net zero carbon across existing buildings by 2030 will require rapid growth and upskilling and I am supporting the retrofit sector through my GLA Green Academy Programme, Green Skills Hubs and wider Employment and Skills activity.
There is already an established Department of Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) endorsed quality scheme, TrustMark. This scheme assures that those accredited have been vetted and are continually monitored. The register is searchable by geographical location to show accredited retrofit coordinators across London.
I continue to work collaboratively with boroughs to make the landscape on provision and standards clearer and ensure Londoners can access the information they need to make their homes warmer and more fuel efficient.

Cabinet Members and Affordable Housing

Sem Moema: How are you working to empower cabinet members in London boroughs to unlock more affordable housing?

The Mayor: Please see my response to MQ 2022/2508.

London Solar Skills Outreach

Hina Bokhari: How will you, through the communication channels available to you as Mayor of London, support Partners MCS Certified, Solar Energy UK and Community Energy London in delivering the dedicated outreach and promotional programme element of the Solar Skills London Programme, which aims to attract new recruits into the solar industry?

The Mayor: I am delighted to be working with partners - including MCS Certified and Solar Energy UK - to invest in London’s solar workforce. I have invested £130,000 into my Solar Skills London programme to provide training and apprenticeships in solar technologies and help create more green jobs in the renewable energy sector.
With my partners I am working to maximise the opportunities to attract recruits to the solar industry. I have established a Solar Skills Careers Hub as a one-stop shop to help potential new recruits kickstart their solar career. I also continue to promote the programme and careers hub through my social media channels. I will continue to ensure that the message is shared through our broader activity with youth employment and training providers, including through our GLA Green Academy Programme, Green Skills Hubs and wider Employment and Skills activity.

Building Safety Act (1)

Sem Moema: Do you believe the Building Safety Act provides adequate protection for London’s leaseholders from the cost of fire safety measures?

The Mayor: I am pleased that the Building Safety Act 2022 offers statutory protections to leaseholders living in buildings of 11 metres and above, and who need to pay for cladding and non-cladding remediation. The act provides the much-needed formal acknowledgement that these leaseholders are not responsible for rectifying building safety mistakes.
But as I have said time and again, full and adequate protection should cover leaseholders in buildings lower than 11 metres, as well as leaseholders who paid for remediation prior to 28 June 2022, when leaseholder protections came into effect. I will continue advocating for leaseholders currently missed by statutory protections.

Section 21 Notices

Sem Moema: Has the GLA noticed an increase in the number of Section 21 Notices being served in London since the publication of the Government’s Renters’ Reform White Paper which proposed banning them?

The Mayor: The government published its long-awaited white paper, A Fairer Private Rented Sector, a little over a month ago, setting out its plans to abolish Section 21. While it is too soon to see any increase in the number of no-fault notices served in London, I am concerned that, if too much time elapses before Section 21 is removed from the statute, unscrupulous landlords will attempt to evict renters in this way.
Moreover, I am very mindful of the need to protect renters from landlords who do not even use a section 21 notice to evict but instead threaten to increase rents, harass tenants or refuse to do urgent and necessary repairs in order to force tenants to leave. My housing team is working with officials and partner organisations to protect renters from any such illegal evictions during this transition period.

Land for Council Homes Revenue Fund (3)

Sem Moema: Will you look to put more funding into the Land for Council Homes Revenue Fund should it prove to be successful at building more council homes?

The Mayor: The Land for Council Homes (LCH) Revenue Fund was established as a one-off reserve through the 2022-2023 GLA budget setting process. I have not set aside additional budget to extend or expand the fund.
My housing team will commission an evaluation of the LCH Revenue Fund. This will be undertaken at the end of the programme, which is expected to be in 2025. The evaluation will explore how the LCH Revenue Fund has been successful in enabling the delivery of more council homes. However, this evaluation will not necessarily result in an extension of the programme.

Land for Council Homes Revenue Fund (2)

Sem Moema: How many council homes do you estimate the Land for Council Homes Revenue Fund will unlock?

The Mayor: The Land for Council Homes Revenue Fund has not set any targets in terms of the number of council homes it will unlock.

Land for Council Homes Revenue Fund (1)

Sem Moema: How will the Land for Council Homes Revenue Fund equip councils with the tools they need to build more council homes?

The Mayor: Councils face significant barriers to upscaling their local housing delivery programmes, including challenges relating to land supply. My £4m Land for Council Homes (LCH) Revenue Fund will help boroughs respond to this challenge. I trust boroughs to tell me the interventions that will be most impactful locally, but I anticipate that it will include the employment of new staff, the commissioning of specialist consultants and the development of new strategic documents, such as land surveys and business plans.
Individual councils can bid for up to £400,000 in revenue grant and multiple boroughs can submit collaborative bids up to £750,000. Further information about the policy objectives and expected outcomes of the fund are set out in the LCH Revenue Fund Prospectus.

Rewild London Fund Applications

Hina Bokhari: How many applications for the Rewild London Fund were (a) received, (b) successful and (c) unsuccessful?

The Mayor: This information is available in my officer’s response to the London Assembly Environment Committee’s letter, following your meeting on London’s wild spaces. See question 4. The letter can be found here:
04a Appendix 1 - Response from GLA Green Infrastructure Team.pdf (london.gov.uk)

Londoners in Fuel Poverty

Hina Bokhari: How many Londoners will be living in fuel poverty this winter in view of the energy price cap expected to be increased in October?

The Mayor: It’s unacceptable that many Londoners can’t afford to keep their homes warm and face stark choices between heating and eating.
The current definition of fuel poverty in England, using the Low Income Low Energy Efficiency indicator, is based largely on the energy efficiency of a home. It is therefore insensitive to changes in energy prices. For this reason there haven’t been significant changes in measured fuel poverty levels reported, even with the recent doubling of energy prices. The latest statistics by that measure suggest that 404,000 (11,5 per cent) of Londoners are fuel poor.
Using the previous definition, and a methodology from the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, I estimate that for each 1% increase in fuel bills around 6,000 more London households would become fuel poor. By this measure there would be over 750,000 fuel poor households in London, an increase of over 400,000 households since 2019. Should the price cap rise to over £3,200 in October, this could approach 1.2 million (over one-third of London households), even with the £400 payment from government.

Seaside and Country Homes Scheme

Hina Bokhari: What proportion of applications for a new property that were made through the Seaside and Country Homes Scheme were successful in each year since 2015/2016?

The Mayor: Number of new applications
Number of lettings
Lettings as a percentage of applications
2015/16
485
126
26%
2016/17
579
110
19%
2017/18
591
105
18%
2018/19
687
142
21%
2019/20
647
169
26%
2020/21
812
160
20%
2021/22
871
182
21%
Please note that applicants who are let a property will not necessarily have applied to the scheme in the same year in which they are housed.

Slow Broadband Speeds

Hina Bokhari: I have been contacted by constituents in Wapping, Tower Hamlets, who are unable to access adequate broadband speeds. What are you doing to address the slow broadband speeds experienced by Londoners across the capital?

The Mayor: As part of the London Recovery Programme, the Digital Access for All mission includes ensuring that ‘Every Londoner has access to good connectivity, basic digital skills and the device or support they need to be online by 2025.’
My Connected London team works with London's Local Authorities to help them get the digital connectivity they need for their residents and better co-ordinate with digital infrastructure providers to get more investment into fibre and mobile infrastructure in underserved areas in London. They have developed a range of free tools and templates to speed up the roll out process, including template wayleave and access agreements. Tower Hamlets have put in place a wayleave agreement with three providers, allowing each one to access and connect all their social housing properties.
Also, I have secured funding to upgrade buildings in public sites that offer digital services, so they can receive fibre broadband. As well as making sure the building has the connectivity it needs for new or improved services to be delivered there, the surrounding area benefits from the increased availability of fibre networks.
The GLA has been working with the London Borough of Tower Hamlets on a Digital Strategy which reviews current and future digital infrastructure needs in the Isle of Dogs, South Poplar and Lower Leaside Areas to support planned growth for the area anticipated up to 2041. This will help inform broader approaches across the borough.

Single Rented Tenancies

Sem Moema: Has the GLA noticed an increase in the number of single tenancies being used on rented properties where they were previously room by room tenancies in the private rented sector during the past 12 months?

The Mayor: GLA officers do not hold data on this issue.

Council Leaders and Affordable Housing

Sem Moema: How are you working to empower council leaders in London boroughs to unlock more affordable housing?

The Mayor: I hope that elected politicians at all levels will be working towards building the homes, particularly the affordable homes, that London needs. My Affordable Homes Programme provides funding for genuinely affordable homes across all of London, including social housing for households in need and London Living Rent and shared ownership homes for those trying to get onto the property ladder.
My London Plan complements this funding by providing a clear and supportive planning framework, ensuring that new homes meet ambitious design standards and contribute positively to their neighbourhoods.
My Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development also meets regularly with Council Leaders and lead members to discuss and help unblock local barriers to delivering affordable housing.

Probation assaults

Susan Hall: For each financial year, 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22 how many assaults/attacks were committed against probation staff in London?

The Mayor: Please see the attached information provided by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). Please note that the occupation of a victim of a recorded crime is not a mandatory field and that the occupation of a victim may not be directly linked to the offence (e.g., not during the course of their work). Therefore, the information provided should be treated as indicative only.
Please ensure the notes page is read in conjunction with the data to aid in interpretation of the information.

The Mayor: 2748_Probation assaults (1).xlsx

Academy Hubs Programme (5)

Emma Best: What is the pass rate for those undertaking training within the North East London Health Care Partnership hubs?

The Mayor: The Mayor’s Academies Programme (MAP) is designed to help address skills shortages in sectors key to London’s COVID-19 recovery, including health, and to support Londoners most affected by the pandemic into good work. It is providing funding for the coordination and collaboration of training providers and employers through hub partnerships. Each hub will deliver the following:
The hubs are currently rolling out delivery, with progress on their first full quarter of activity due to be reported at the end of July 2022.

Diversity in the Construction Sector

Sem Moema: How are you working to encourage more diversity in the construction sector in London?

The Mayor: The Mayor’s Construction Academy (MCA) is a programme designed to ensure all Londoners can access employment opportunities in the construction sector. Since delivery commenced in March 2019, the programme has promoted the construction sector through targeted support offered by the Workforce Integration Network (WIN), promoting the industry at events targeting young people such as Skills London, and in schools through the London Enterprise Adviser Network (LEAN).
The Mayor’s Academies Programme will apply lessons learned from the MCA to address skills shortages in London’s priority sectors and ensure those most affected by the pandemic are able to secure sustainable employment. Employers in the priority sectors, including green construction and retrofit, will include targeted support delivered by the WIN to address workforce underrepresentation.
In addition, my Building Future London programme, is working with 30 primary schools across London to raise pupils’ awareness of careers within the infrastructure and construction sectors. The programme has a particular focus on reaching pupils from backgrounds that are underrepresented in these sectors, including young Black boys.

Solar Together contractor Green Energy Together

Siân Berry: Constituents across London have complained to me about poor service by Green Energy Together (GET), which has a contract for your Solar Together scheme, citing a lack of response to phone calls and emails and lengthy waiting times for installations. Some constituents have even given up and gone with different contractors. Could you tell me: a) how many complaints your office has received about GET with a summary of issues raised, b) what due diligence your office carried out before awarding this company the contract, c) where Londoners can make complaints if they are not satisfied with the service by GET or your office’s response, and d) how you will ensure that Londoners do not have similar problems with iChoosr, which has been awarded the contract for Solar Together Round Five?

The Mayor: a) There have been 385 complaints on Solar Together London Phase 4, of which my office has received 98 directly. The main complaints are poor customer service/communication and delayed/cancelled installations.
b) Solar Together London is delivered through a concession agreement with iChoosr, which selects and manages the performance of installers. Installers complete iChoosr’s pre-qualification process which assesses experience, quality, stability and capacity, essential certifications and policies, customer satisfaction and detailed financial due diligence. GET-UK is the only installer for Phase 4. At the time of appointment, it was assessed to meet these standards.
c) A complaints procedure is overseen by iChoosr. Londoners can raise a complaint at any stage via the Solar Together website or a dedicated number. If a resolution cannot be reached, there is an escalation procedure through recognised consumer bodies REEC and HIES. My office is also working closely with iChoosr to improve the management of this contract.
d) A range of measures have been put in place for Phase 5, including having three installers to improve service levels, and close management of GET-UK to improve processes, staffing and equipment.

Reducing Drug Deaths in London (3)

Emma Best: How are MOPAC working with the MPS and partners to consider whether frontline officers should be equipped with naloxone, and whether take-home kits could be made available to those testing positive for opiates in police custody?

The Mayor: MOPAC supported the MPS in delivering a workshop with a wider range of partners earlier this year, where police provision of naloxone was discussed. This included the potential for provision of take-home kits from police custody. Following that meeting, the MPS have been considering the data and evidence around this issue. This includes determining the extent to which frontline officers attend suspected opiate overdoses before medical professionals, and important considerations such as the need for robust additional training, which would have a significant impact on frontline abstractions, changes to insurance, the implications to officers of any death following administration, and ongoing financing. This question continues to be discussed at a senior level between MOPAC and the MPS.

Solar Together installed capacity in London (1)

Siân Berry: Could you provide a breakdown of installed capacity of solar PV in megawatts (MW) that your Solar Together programmes have or will provide per year between 2016 and 2022?

The Mayor: Since my Solar Together London programme launched in 2018 it has delivered a total installed capacity of 4.5MW. This comprises 0.67 MW in 2018 (phase one), 0.66 MW in 2019 (phase 2), 0.8 MW (phase three) in 2020, and 2.37 MW in 2021/22 (phase four).
A further 300 installations are due to take place under phase four by Autumn 2022. Phase five, which will complete in March 2023, is on track to be the largest phase yet. These additional installations will increase the total installed capacity of solar PV by the end of 2022.

Academy Hubs Programme (6)

Emma Best: How many people have been recruited into the health sector as a result of training from the NHS South West London Clinical Commissioning Group hubs?

The Mayor: The Mayor’s Academies Programme (MAP) is designed to help address skills shortages in sectors key to London’s COVID-19 recovery, including health, and to support Londoners most affected by the pandemic into good work. The hubs, including the South West London Integrated Care System (ICS), are currently rolling out delivery, with progress on their first full quarter of activity due to be reported at the end of July 2022. Hubs will be required to report on Londoners entering employment, apprenticeships or paid work placements in the Academies sectors, amongst other outputs. As some training will need to be undertaken before supporting the learners into employment, we anticipate employment outcomes will be achieved later in the delivery cycle.

Safer Schools Officers final report

Caroline Russell: According to the June 2022 update of your Action Plan - Transparency, Accountability and Trust in Policing, MOPAC says that the final report and proposed recommendations on Safer Schools Officers was expected in Autumn 2021, but this has slipped and: “publication is awaited.” Could you confirm when this final report will be published along with the cause of any delay?

The Mayor: The report was delayed from the original Autumnal date so that further qualitative research could be conducted to broaden the evidence base of the review.
The final report has been drafted and is currently following internal MPS governance processes ahead of sign-off. This involves presenting the report at the MOPAC Disproportionality Board on the 21st July 2022.
It is hoped that the report will be published in summer 2022.

Black police sergeants and inspectors

Caroline Russell: In the June 2022 update of your Action Plan - Transparency, Accountability and Trust in Policing, MOPAC says that the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is aiming for three per cent of sergeants and three per cent of inspectors to be Black by 2024, and seven per cent of sergeants and seven per cent of inspectors by 2030. How many Black sergeants and inspectors are there now in the MPS, and what percentage of sergeants and inspectors does this represent?

The Mayor: In order to achieve a police service that better represents and understands Black communities, my Action Plan, required the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to set specific aims for the recruitment and promotion of Black officers.
As of June 2022, the position is:

Learning and Development Community Reference Group

Caroline Russell: In the December 2021 update of your Action Plan - Transparency, Accountability and Trust in Policing, MOPAC says the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) and College of Policing will be attending future meetings to assess the benefits of the Metropolitan Police Service’s (MPS) approach for national roll-out, but this line is missing from your June 2022 update. Have the NPCC and College of Policing attended meetings to assess the benefits of this approach for national roll-out, as mentioned in the December 2021 update?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has invited the NPCC and the College of Policing to attend their Learning and Development Community Reference Group (CRG) sessions, and the NPCC has previously taken up this opportunity. The MPS Learning and Development team are currently reviewing the membership and terms of reference of the group with a view to achieving a more consistent participation from key partners including the NPCC and the College of Policing.
The MPS Director of Learning meets on a monthly basis with learning and development (L&D) colleagues from across the country as part of the National Police L&D Executive Group, where good practice is discussed and shared.
In addition, senior leaders from my Office for Policing and Crime regularly meet with the MPS Director of Learning and hold the organisation to account for delivery of key learning and development commitments through the Disproportionality Board and through other oversight channels.

Digital exclusion (1)

Emma Best: Prior to the launching of your Digital Inclusion Service pilot, what support had you provided to the London Office of Technology and Innovation (LOTI), and Good Things Foundation?

The Mayor: In June 2021, I grant funded the London Office for Technology and Innovation (LOTI) with £1,362m (see MD2809) to establish the Digital Inclusion Innovation Programme (DIIP). The first 12 months of the programme focussed on research, designing and developing a London-wide approach and developing a programme for tackling digital exclusion in the capital. The Digital Inclusion Service is part of this programme. As part of their research, LOTI identified the Good Things Foundation (GTF), the UK’s leading digital inclusion charity as the key partner organisation to support with the delivery of the Digital Inclusion Service and LOTI lead on stakeholder engagement with GTF.

Digital exclusion (2)

Emma Best: What assistance has been provided to Londoners that cannot access digital only services from the Mayor's office and London boroughs?

The Mayor: London boroughs have actively sought to support their residents in accessing the vital services they need, online as well as offline. Many boroughs do so via existing infrastructure such as libraries and local community organisations. I have funded the London Office for Technology and Innovation (LOTI) with £1.362m to run the Digital Inclusion Innovation Programme (DIIP), and as part of this programme LOTI have conducted research into this and some examples can be found in the attached table but this is not a comprehensive view of all interventions in London.

The Mayor: Digital Inclusion (2) - Question No 2022 2629.xlsx

Academy Hubs Programme (8)

Emma Best: Can you define what constitutes an “entry level role” within the local health organisations associated with the NHS South West London Clinical Commissioning Group hub.

The Mayor: The Mayor’s Academies Programme (MAP) is designed to help address skills shortages in sectors key to London’s COVID-19 recovery, including health, and to support Londoners most affected by the pandemic into good work. For the purposes of the MAP health hubs, including the South West London Integrated Care System (ICS), an entry level role is defined as one requiring a level 2 qualification and includes roles such as health care support worker.

Road Noise Detection Devices

Caroline Pidgeon: In answer to MQ2022/1780 you made clear that the Met has been exploring the purchase of noise detection devices for trial on London’s roads. Please provide more detail on the devices being considered.

The Mayor: The Road and Transport Policing Command (RTPC) project looking at the cost and benefit analysis of roadside noise detection devices for officer use in London has not yet concluded, and due to commercial sensitivities, the MPS are not able to provide details of the brand or manufacturer of roadside noise detection devices at this stage.
The types of devices which are being considered will help compare a vehicle’s exhaust noise output to the factory set exhaust noise limit.

Academy Hubs Programme (9)

Emma Best: What is the pass rate for those undertaking training within the NHS South West London Clinical Commissioning Group hubs?

The Mayor: The Mayor’s Academies Programme (MAP) is designed to help address skills shortages in sectors key to London’s COVID-19 recovery, including health, and to support Londoners most affected by the pandemic into good work. It is providing funding for the coordination and collaboration of training providers and employers through hub partnerships. Each hub will deliver the following:
The hubs are currently rolling out delivery, with progress on their first full quarter of activity due to be reported at the end of July 2022.

Digital Inclusion Service pilot (2)

Neil Garratt: Can you confirm which specific budget the funding for the Digital Inclusion Service pilot will come from?

The Mayor: In June 2021, I grant funded the London Office for Technology and Innovation (LOTI) with £1,362m (MD2809) to research, design and develop a London-wide approach and programme for tackling digital exclusion in the capital - the Digital Inclusion Innovation Programme (DIIP). The Digital Inclusion Service is part of this programme and will use £545,000 from this overall funding. The funding forms part of the ‘Mayor’s GLA Budget’ and sits under Digital Access for all mission/foundation and that is allocated under Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity.

Digital Inclusion Service pilot (1)

Neil Garratt: Can you confirm the total cost of the Digital Inclusion Service pilot?

The Mayor: The Digital Inclusion Service will cost £545,000 for the initial 12 months pilot phase, starting in June 2022.

Cost of Living for Tenants

Sem Moema: Has the GLA noticed a decline in the number of “Bills Inclusive” lets in the private rented sector during the past 12 months? What impact does the GLA thinks this has on renters’ housing costs during a cost-of-living crisis?

The Mayor: GLA officers do not hold data on this issue.

Diversity in the Housing Sector

Sem Moema: How are you working to encourage more diversity in the housing sector? Please provide information on how the GLA is diverse in its Housing & Land Directorate and functions related to housing delivery in the GLA Group.

The Mayor: Improving diversity in the housing sector is crucial to ensuring it can serve and respond to the diverse needs of Londoners. My Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) 2021-26 introduces a requirement for partners to develop an equality, diversity and inclusion action plan. This will encourage partners to think critically about how they can increase the representation of traditionally under-represented groups in the housing sector.
The Equal Group report published earlier this year raises concerns around recruitment, progression and retention of Black and ethnic minority staff across the GLA, including in the Housing and Land Directorate. The directorate in particular notes the need to improve diversity at senior level and is committed to doing so.
I take the recommendations of the report extremely seriously, and my team is committed to their implementation. Each Directorate across the GLA is working to develop their own local EDI Action Plans, in response to the GLA’s new EDI Statement, Strategy, Corporate Action Plan developed following the Equal Group’s Independent Review. These action plans will also seek to address local and sector-specific EDI challenges faced by each Directorate. These action plans will be developed by 30th September 2022. H&L’s Action Plan will formalise work already underway within the directorate, including a department-specific Supporting Black Londoners Action Plan and lived experience sessions run by staff.
As at March 2022, my Housing and Land directorate comprises of:
30% Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic staff, (compared to an overall GLA figure of 32% and 40% working-age population in London).
7% disabled staff (compared to an overall GLA figure of 7% and 17% working-age population in London).
65% female staff (compared to an overall GLA figure of 61% and 49.5% working-age population in London.

Digital Inclusion Service pilot (4)

Neil Garratt: What are your measures for success for the Digital Inclusion Service pilot?

The Mayor: The overall ambition of the Digital Inclusion Service is to help get at least 75,000 digitally excluded Londoners online over a 3-year period. During the first 12 months of the pilot success will include: designing the service in such a way that it is clearly understood and accessible to London’s Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations and borough services such as libraries, housing, customer and social services. This will include the development of a dedicated website or webpages that clearly articulates the offer and how organisations can get involved.
The pilot will seek to recruit additional VCS organisations to Good Things Foundation’s Online Centres Network and secure devices through donations.

Digital Inclusion Service pilot (3)

Neil Garratt: The London Office of Technology and Innovation (LOTI), and Good Things Foundation are already providing educational and practical support to digitally excluded Londoners. How will this announcement contribute to what is already being done?

The Mayor: In order to support the range of local and community provision across London and provide a consistent way of meeting need, the funding will test the unified basic skills, data/connectivity and device offer developed by Good Things Foundation in a London setting. The London Office for Technology and Innovation will work with Good Things Foundation to design the service working with London’s Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) and borough services such as libraries, housing, customer and social services.

Building Safety Act (2)

Sem Moema: Do you believe leaseholders in London should be able to claim back from the Government the cladding remediation they have already paid out before the Building Safety Act came into force?

The Mayor: Yes, I have always been clear that the act should provide protections for those who paid for remediation works prior to 28 June 2022. It is unfair that leaseholders will be penalised for government delays and inaction in bringing forward legal protection.

Building Safety Act (3)

Sem Moema: Please outline the implications of the cap for non-cladding fire safety measures as set out in Government’s guidance issues on 28th June 2022 for London’s leaseholders.

The Mayor: During my engagement on the legislative scrutiny of the Building Safety Act, I strongly advocated against leaseholders paying any non-cladding remediation costs, even if these were capped. It is unfair that leaseholders have to pay for non-cladding works when these are the result of the same faulty regulatory system that led to the cladding crisis. It is further unfair that the cap for Londoners is higher due to higher property values. We know that the building safety crisis and the affordable housing crisis are most acute in London, and a higher cap penalises Londoners for systemic problems out of their control.

Building Safety Act (4)

Sem Moema: Do you believe the cap for non-cladding fire safety measures set out in the Building Safety Act is a fair way of paying for those measures?

The Mayor: I agree with government’s approach for a cascading policy to identify those responsible for non-cladding fire safety mistakes. However, I am adamant that leaseholders should not be liable to pay any building safety remediation, and believe government should fund works where neither a developer or building owner is able to pay for the costs. Leaseholders are not responsible for the systemic failings of government and industry, and it is not right that they bear any cost.

Building Safety Act (5)

Sem Moema: How are you working with the Government to ensure that those building owners in London who are responsible for paying for fire safety measures as set out in the Building Safety Act pay for those measures?

The Mayor: Whilst I strongly support efforts to make sure those responsible pay towards the cost of remediating unsafe buildings, the GLA does not have responsibility for enforcing the requirements set out in the Building Safety Act. Provisions in the act mean that any developer who fails to pay for remediation can be stopped from securing planning permission and building control sign off – which in effect would stop them from operating.

Policing Protests (2)

Unmesh Desai: How many people have been stop and searched by the Met under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act since the Act came into effect in April?

The Mayor: Section 185 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 makes amendments to Section 43(c) Terrorism Act 2000. On the search reason drop down list on the stop & search recording system, there is no specific drop-down option for this. Consequently, individual records would need to be checked in order to provide an answer and this would be disproportionate.

London Hospital Callouts for Metropolitan Police Assistance

Krupesh Hirani: Please provide a breakdown of how many times the Metropolitan Police have been called out to London’s hospitals over the last three years?

The Mayor: Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) call handling records do not permit retrieval of this type of call out information as there is not a coded field to specify location type (such as hospitals).

Free NHS for everyone (4)

Emma Best: Can you provide your specific policy on how you would protect against health tourism and what your plan would be not to overload the NHS in London?

The Mayor: My priority is working alongside NHS colleagues in their endeavours to ensure that discrimination and institutional racism has no place in our health service. The NHS charging regulations represent discrimination by design, and are implicated in racial profiling as acknowledged by the DHSC’s own equity analysis. I am calling for the Government to exempt anyone living in the UK from having to pay separately for the NHS, irrespective of their immigration status.
I am working with the NHS in London to ensure that all undocumented migrants can access health services, including the COVID-19 vaccines on offer. I oppose the harmful NHS charging regulations which deter migrant Londoners from accessing treatment, and continue to support an NHS which is free at the point of need and resourced to meet all the needs of all London’s communities.

Dockless Hire bikes in Wapping

Unmesh Desai: I have received reports of persistent obstructions being caused by dockless hire bikes being left on pedestrian pavements throughout Wapping, E1. These bike hire companies are effectively taking up space on pavements randomly and illegally to support their commercial activity. What action can be taken to tackle this problem?

The Mayor: Dockless bike rental is unregulated at present and is arranged locally between operators and individual London boroughs. There is no legal framework for these companies to operate within, though Transport for London (TfL) understands the Department for Transport is considering creating such a framework for this rental market following the forthcoming Transport Bill.
In the meantime, TfL is leading engagement with operators, alongside London Councils, to improve cycle hire parking provision, but this remains predominantly a matter for the boroughs as local highway authorities.
Where dockless bikes are found obstructing the pavements on the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN) by TfL’s Operational Officers, these are reported and removed by the operators.

Strategic Job Creation (1)

Len Duvall: In areas where a big local employer moves or closes, how do you work with the local council or other organisations to increase skilled job creation locally?

The Mayor: My recently announced £2.06m ‘No Wrong Door’ programme aims to join up skills and employment support across London, making sure Londoners get the right support to move into good work. This includes establishing four integration hubs led by local authorities, working closely with local employers to create pathways into jobs.
My £44m Mayor’s Academies Programme and £18.9m Skills Bootcamps for Londoners support partnerships between employers, providers and local authorities, delivering training which helps underrepresented Londoners into good jobs, in key sectors.
I’m supporting London’s business groups as they lead on developing London’s Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP), to identify skills gaps and develop a strategic direction for London's further education providers to respond to these needs.
My Skills for Londoners Board, which includes representation from local authority leaders, employers and skills and employment providers, is helping to ensure that City Hall takes a strategic city-wide approach to meeting employer needs and supporting Londoners into good jobs.

Academy Hubs Programme (1)

Emma Best: How many organisations have received the Academies Quality Mark and do those organisations receive preferential treatment when the GLA commissions training?

The Mayor: The Academies Quality Mark identifies and recognises high quality skills training provision in London. It sets a high bar for skills training that responds to the needs of London’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Successful providers achieving the first round of Quality Mark accreditation were announced in June 2022. A total of 52 Quality Marks were awarded across six priority sectors key to London’s recovery, with 25 training providers securing the accreditation.
Whilst the Quality Mark is primarily intended as a means of raising awareness of good quality sectoral provision to employers and Londoners alike and of celebrating excellence in the sector, there are further benefits to securing accreditation. Commissioning of skills provision and related funds may require holding the Quality Mark as a prerequisite in the future, and previously, under the Mayor’s Construction Academy, applicants for capital funding did have to hold the Mayor’s Quality Mark for that scheme.

Strategic Job Creation (2)

Len Duvall: What work has been undertaken with business and industry to understand where there are skills gaps in all sectors? How has this been mapped to show skills gaps across London?

The Mayor: Since 2018, Skills Advisory Panels (SAPs) have been bringing together employers, skills providers and key local stakeholders to better understand and resolve skills mismatches at a local level. My Skills for Londoners Board is London’s SAP and oversees the annual Local Skills Report for London, most recently published in February 2022. This maps London’s skills needs against labour market demand, and sits on the London Datastore alongside a host of other datasets and publications pertaining to London’s economy.
My Jobs and Skills Business Partnership has recently been reconstituted to include London’s main employer representative bodies (ERBs). The Partnership will support any ERB appointed to lead on developing the Local Skills Improvement Plan for London. This plan will set out how London’s further education providers are to meet the needs of London’s businesses.

Free School Meals (9)

Andrew Boff: Preloaded charge cards have been found to reduce stigma attached to free school meals. Will you commit to looking into this and other measures to increase uptake of free school meals in London?

The Mayor: It is for individual schools to determine how best to manage payments, but the vast majority already use cashless systems such as preloaded cards. A recent national survey of 300,000 parents found that only 10% still use cash for school meals and 8 in 10 said “cash payments are a thing of the past”.
Yet we know issues with uptake, such as stigma, still remain and recent analysis by the Children Poverty Action Group shows that 1 in 3 children in poverty in England still don’t qualify for free school meals. I will therefore continue to campaign for universal free school meals so that all children receive at least one healthy meal a day.
I will also continue to support families through my Cost of Living Hub which signposts free school meals and is being promoted to key audiences, including families, through partner networks and a social media campaign.

Council homes

Andrew Boff: For the last 5 years and for each local authority, how much is being spent from the Mayor’s funds to provide council housing, how many units have been started, and how many units have been completed?

The Mayor: Start on site and Completions by year
Starts on Site
Completions
Provider
2021-22
2020-21
2019-20
Sep-18 to Mar-19
Apr-18 to Aug-18
2017-18
2021-22
2020-21
2019-20
Sep-18 to Mar-19
Apr-18 to Aug-18
2017-18
Barking and Dagenham
424
264
378
87
0
0
63
87
0
0
76
0
Barnet
			(incl. TBG Open Door)
30
93
104
0
0
5
29
0
53
0
0
5
Bexley
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Brent
293
160
444
57
0
6
243
153
0
0
37
12
Bromley
60
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Camden
12
97
0
100
0
0
61
39
7
11
66
18
City of London
0
5
67
9
0
0
2
0
10
0
0
0
Croydon
			(incl. Brick by Brick)
0
237
225
0
135
0
172
32
3
0
0
0
Ealing
			(incl. Broadway Living)
273
75
94
36
0
28
73
21
0
31
18
13
Enfield
226
420
260
0
0
111
134
72
0
0
0
0
Greenwich
117
0
79
0
0
0
6
10
4
0
0
0
Hackney
55
43
0
167
0
0
28
82
11
44
0
0
Hammersmith and Fulham
134
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
Haringey
341
134
243
0
0
0
15
6
0
0
0
0
Harrow
47
5
134
0
0
0
32
1
5
0
0
0
Havering
593
126
23
0
0
0
0
23
0
0
15
20
Hillingdon
34
16
0
33
0
0
0
44
6
0
0
0
Hounslow
328
222
226
88
0
0
103
42
104
3
0
43
Islington
163
177
0
138
0
0
86
7
0
0
0
0
Kensington and Chelsea
35
61
63
51
9
127
0
14
63
51
77
55
Kingston upon Thames
101
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Lambeth
6
25
16
0
0
0
32
0
0
0
0
0
Lewisham
5
176
42
0
0
0
11
0
0
0
0
0
Merton
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Newham
410
201
54
235
0
0
119
46
0
0
0
0
Redbridge
30
295
0
0
0
12
18
1
0
0
29
0
Richmond upon Thames
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Southwark
878
329
171
122
0
0
39
31
0
9
0
0
Sutton
51
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Tower Hamlets
0
39
17
65
0
0
0
65
0
0
0
0
Waltham Forest
173
29
238
23
0
0
121
29
0
0
18
0
Wandsworth
80
14
27
93
0
0
85
34
1
0
0
0
Westminster
			(incl. Westminster Homes)
47
168
225
0
0
0
13
38
59
0
22
0
Total
4,946
3,411
3,130
1,304
144
289
1,488
877
326
149
358
166
[TC1]It doesn’t make much difference as we hit the target early, but shouldn’t this be March 2023 to reflect the programme extension due to covid?
@Tom CopleyThanks for spotting this. This has now been amended.[MK2]

Adult Education Budget

Hina Bokhari: How do you measure outcomes for the 80 per cent of the Adult Education Budget that is distributed through grant funding to FE colleges and other providers?

The Mayor: All GLA-funded adult education providers report data on learners through the Department for Education’s Individualised Learner Record (ILR). The ILR details how many learners successfully complete their course and provides some limited information on learner destinations if populated by the provider. See here for previous publications of AEB data.
To improve the data collected on learner destinations and the social outcomes of adult learning I have launched my pioneering London Learner Survey. The survey is delivered in two parts – a baseline survey completed at the start of the course and a follow-up survey completed five months after the end of the course to capture the changes in learners’ lives post learning.
There are seven priority learner outcomes areas measured through the survey. These are progression into employment, progression in work, progression in further education, improved wellbeing, improved social integration, improved self-efficacy and participation in volunteering.

Free NHS for everyone (2)

Emma Best: Can you share with the Assembly your letter to the Government on the issue of Londoners being turned away for NHS care?

The Mayor: I first raised this issue in a letter to the Home Secretary in April 2020, at the onset of the pandemic. I expressed my concern that the NHS charging regulations and the climate of fear they engender within our NHS risked a serious undermining of our efforts in London to stop the spread of Covid-19. The pandemic and vaccination programme has confirmed to us all that maintaining public health is a participatory endeavour which must necessarily involve everyone in the community.
In 2022, I continue to advocate for access to health services for all Londoners. The regulations continue to impact the most marginalised within our society, including undocumented migrants and other communities without documents. We know these groups were also some of the those most impacted by the pandemic. It is essential to London’s recovery and to support preparedness for future public health emergencies that the NHS is available to all Londoners without barriers.Please find the 2022 press release here.

The Mayor: Rt Hon Priti Patel MP.pdf

Free NHS for everyone (1)

Emma Best: Following your press release on 22 June 2022 titled ‘Mayor calls for free NHS care for everyone living in the UK’ can you tell us how you came to the number of 397,000 undocumented Londoners not receiving NHS care? Please provide the dataset for this.

The Mayor: The NHS charging regulations apply to anyone who does not meet, or cannot demonstrate that they meet, an ‘ordinary residence’ test.
This figure comes from a Greater London Authority report published in January 2020: London’s children and young people who are not British citizens: A profile. The report, supported by work from the University of Wolverhampton Institute for Community Research and Development, estimates that more than half of the UK’s 674,000 undocumented adults and children live in London (397,000). This figure is an informed estimate to support quantification of the number of Londoners within scope of the NHS charging regulations and subsequently at risk of being charged to access some NHS services.
It is likely that this estimate has increased since January 2020, to include many EU Londoners who have not applied for the EU settlement scheme, or those who have, or will, receive a negative decision on their application and are now also at risk of charging when accessing some secondary and community NHS services.

Mayor’s Academies Programme Hubs

Hina Bokhari: What are the Mayor’s Academies Programme (MAP) hubs targets for Londoners participating in training within each hub?

The Mayor: The Mayor’s Academies Programme (MAP) is designed to help address skills shortages in sectors key to London’s COVID-19 recovery, including health, and to support Londoners most affected by the pandemic into good work. It is providing funding for the coordination and collaboration of training providers and employers through hub partnerships. Each hub will deliver the following:
The hubs are currently rolling out delivery, with progress on their first full quarter of activity due to be reported at the end of July 2022.

Air Quality Information (6)

Leonie Cooper: How would a national campaign to inform road users about the need for clean air measures be beneficial to London?

The Mayor: A national awareness campaign would have many benefits and is something I called for in my response to the Coroner’s Prevention of Future Deaths report following the inquest into the death of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah. A clear national message on air pollution’s impacts, solutions and links with the climate emergency could amplify this crucial message on a scale much larger than can be delivered by regional and local government. It would also help London and other cities encourage residents to switch to cleaner and greener forms of transport.
A national campaign would also help to send a clear message on poorly understood national issues such addressing engine idling and the impacts of wood burning both for burners themselves and the wider community. In London we supported an Idling Action awareness campaign and are working to support boroughs with wood burning communication campaigns in winter 2022 and 2023, but a national campaign is needed to help mainstream understanding of these issues.

Healthy Homes Bill

Siân Berry: The Healthy Homes Private Members Bill (https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3139), sponsored by Lord Crisp, had its second reading in the House of Lords on 15 July 2022. What communications have you had with the Town and Country Planning Association which developed the Bill, and what action have you taken to embed its principles within your own work?

The Mayor: I am not aware that the Town and Country Planning Association has approached me or my officers to discuss the Healthy Homes Private Members Bill.
My London Plan Guidance sets out how I am delivering a healthy and high quality environment. This guidance covers many areas included in the Town and Country Planning Association’s healthy home principles, including dwelling space standards, natural light, sustainability, future proofing, safety and security, thermal comfort and pollution.

Rogue landlord and agent checker (2)

Siân Berry: Thank you for your answer to my question 2022/1860. Of the 2,745 private cases that you said are currently on the Checker, could you tell me how many cases have been uploaded by each borough per year since the Checker started in 2017? Please provide the information in table format.

The Mayor: The number of cases uploaded by each borough per year from 2017-2022 is set out in the table below. The London Fire Brigade and Property Ombudsman also upload cases to the private tier.
Boroughs uploaded fewer cases during 2020-21 largely as a result of a reduction in enforcement activity, on-the-ground inspections and staffing issues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Borough
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Total number of cases on the private tier
Barking & Dagenham
0
21
25
4
3
0
53
Barnet
0
13
6
5
4
0
28
Bexley
0
2
0
0
5
0
7
Brent
74
33
12
2
8
1
130
Bromley
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
Camden
45
130
143
64
101
34
517
City of London
0
0
0
0
0
0
Croydon
0
6
12
11
8
0
37
Ealing
0
28
0
0
0
0
28
Enfield
0
7
0
0
0
0
7
Greenwich
22
21
4
32
42
1
122
Hackney
7
0
0
2
0
0
9
Hammersmith & Fulham
0
5
10
3
2
0
20
Haringey
0
21
2
0
0
2
25
Harrow
0
1
4
0
0
0
5
Havering
0
6
46
10
2
1
65
Hillingdon
0
0
3
0
0
0
3
Hounslow
0
35
11
0
0
0
46
Islington
25
8
1
0
2
0
36
Kensington & Chelsea
0
6
0
0
0
0
6
Kingston
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Lambeth
0
3
9
0
2
0
14
Lewisham
0
2
0
16
32
6
56
Merton
0
0
0
4
0
0
4
Newham
170
283
146
66
21
7
693
Redbridge
0
6
24
20
0
0
50
Richmond
0
8
2
10
0
0
20
Southwark
36
50
114
0
1
201
Sutton
4
0
0
0
0
0
4
Tower Hamlets
0
81
7
4
12
3
107
Waltham Forest
38
79
14
15
35
20
201
Wandsworth
0
12
2
4
2
0
20
Westminster
18
29
12
29
2
8
98
439
897
609
301
283
84
2613

Rogue landlord and agent checker (3)

Siân Berry: Thank you for your answer to my question 2022/1860. The 380,167 page views of the Rogue Landlord and Agent Checker since 2017 does not seem like a very large amount, as it works out at 76,034 views each year, whereas approximately 30 per cent of all households now rent privately, equating to roughly 2.7 million tenants in London. Those page views therefore account for around three per cent of tenants in London, while we know from evidence received for the London Assembly Housing Committee investigation into the Private Rented Sector in March 2022 that around 20 per cent of private renters are not happy with the repair and maintenance of their property. How are you going to promote the Rogue Landlord and Agent Checker more widely and effectively to Londoners?

The Mayor: The Rogue Landlord and Agent Checker (RLAC) creates an important signal that rogue agents and landlords cannot operate under the radar and that tenants have a right to easily accessible data. From ONS and English Housing Survey data we can estimate that roughly 203,000 privately renting households moved in London in 2020, meaning that up to 37% of those households may have used the Checker.
However, I have always been cautious that the checker is not a silver bullet to solve the problems in the rental sector. High rents and limited supply, combined with low wages and inadequate benefit payments, mean that many renters have little choice about who they rent from and operate in an extremely constrained market.
It is for this reason that all levels of government need to work together to raise the minimum standards that renters should be able to demand from any landlord – and that sufficient resources need to be in place to enforce these.
I am proud of the role of the checker in helping to raise standards and expectations across London. However. City Hall uses its external communications channels, including my recent televised visit to a tenanted property, in order to reach as many private renters as possible and to highlight the issue of poor property conditions.
Extensive Checker training is being delivered to borough officers and engagement with my Private Rented Sector Partnership will continue to encourage greater usage.

Hearing resident voices in social housing report (1)

Siân Berry: Recommendation two in the November 2018 report, Hearing resident voices in social housing, from the London Assembly Housing Committee was: “The Mayor should appoint a London social housing commissioner tasked with encouraging social housing landlords to promote participatory and meaningful ways of involving residents in decision making.” Have you reconsidered your opposition to having a social housing commissioner for London and, if not, could you explain what your objections are?

The Mayor: I agree that it is essential that social housing resident’s views are heard and acted upon and that is why I have been calling for the creation of a national Commissioner for Social Housing Residents. The government’s Social Housing Regulation Bill is a missed opportunity to create this role. I am calling on parliament to amend the bill to create a commissioner, who should be a social housing resident.
I believe that this should be a national role to ensure that the commissioner has the required influence on national policy and legislation. Moreover, many social landlords operate across the country and it is appropriate that the commissioner would have influence over their entire stock and management practices.

Hearing resident voices in social housing report (2)

Siân Berry: Recommendation two in the November 2018 report, Hearing resident voices in social housing, from the London Assembly Housing Committee was: “Basing future GLA funding to social landlords for new affordable homes on improvements in transparency and management in their organisations.” In your response you said: “when designing the next Affordable Homes Programme, we will review current arrangements, and engage with the Housing Committee and social housing residents to understand their views on these issues and consider whether to introduce further transparency arrangements.” Could you outline what steps you took, what engagement was carried out and which new requirements you put into the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme, such as new conditions in the funding guidance?

The Mayor: I have long called on government to make changes to the regulatory regime to enable more transparency and improved management. I am pleased that some of these are addressed by the Social Housing Regulation Bill. I will continue to lobby government to ensure that residents’ voices are at the heart of decision-making.
New funding requirements for the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) include action on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI). Partners are required to produce an EDI Action Plan and officers engaged with the London Housing Panel to inform the specification of this requirement.
We are also conducting a Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) pilot, which will become a funding requirement subject to the pilot’s outcomes. This, alongside the London at Home programme, helps us to understand residents’ experiences of the homes that we fund.
I have also set the expectation that providers sign up to the Service Charges Charter and this sets best-practice principles on management and transparency.

Crystal Palace National Sports Centre and national sporting associations

Siân Berry: A constituent has asked: what discussions have taken place between the Mayor and the UK Athletics, British Swimming and the British Paralympic Association about future plans for Crystal Palace National Sports Centre?

The Mayor: National and Regional Governing Bodies such as UK Athletics, England Athletics, Sport England, London Sport, British Swimming, Swim England, London Swimming, Badminton England, England Boxing, and British Gymnastics are key sporting stakeholders for the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre. They have been engaged in developing the concept design proposals, inputting on sporting need analysis, in the specification of facilities and advising on strategy and best practice technical design. Discussions have also been held with some of these organisations around funding and fundraising, acknowledging the further financial support the project needs to be fully delivered.
The British Paralympic Association has not been directly engaged in the project to date, however workshops and engagement with organisations engaged in the promotion and delivery of sports for Deaf and disabled people have fed into the current proposals. These include Metro Blind Sport, Badminton England, England Boxing, Goalball, London Sport and London Youth Games Para Athletics. Further consultation and engagement with these organisations and others will continue as the project develops. Overcoming the current accessibility issues with the centre forms a key part of the brief to ensure the improved facilities can be enjoyed by all Londoners. Discussions with the British Paralympic Association are welcomed and will be pursued going forward.

Facial recognition technology 2

Susan Hall: During Met facial recognition technology deployments is information provided that people are entering a facial recognition area?

The Mayor: The Met display signs at the location of deployments providing information that people are entering a facial recognition area.
The Met have assured me that signs are clearly and prominently displayed beyond the curtilage of the zone of recognition for the Live Facial Recognition cameras. Leaflets are also available. Both signage and leaflets give details of how the public may access further information via the Met’s website.

Met’s strategic review into engagement in policing public order events

Susan Hall: Please can you provide a copy of the Met’s strategic review into engagement in policing public order events?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) does not have a specific strategic review solely into engagement in public order events.
Engagement is an important strand of the planning, delivery and post-event process involved in public order events. The MPS frequently designate an officer as Bronze Engagement for an event, responsible for the strategic and pan-London approach to engagement. This role was most recently used for Pride London. Bronze Engagement will also co-ordinate communication and consultation with strategic partners, Independent Advisory Groups and key community leads as required.
Supporting this is a Bronze Community role. In this role an officer is responsible for more tactical engagement with local stakeholders such as local businesses and residents. This role is routinely performed by local Borough Command Unit officers who are experienced and sensitive to the local community context.

Facial recognition technology 1

Susan Hall: For each month since January 2021, how many times have the Met deployed facial recognition technology and how many wanted individuals were detected as a result?

The Mayor: As of the July 15th 2022, when this answer was drafted, the Met have deployed Live Facial Recognition Technology a total of three times since January 2021.
Seven wanted individuals have been arrested as a direct result of the deployments.

The New Met Commissioner

Susan Hall: What conversations have you had with the new Commissioner about how he intends to manage the Met?

The Mayor: Throughout the recruitment process, I have made my expectations of the new Commissioner clear and have worked closely with the Home Office to find the right candidate.
After I interviewed the final two candidates, the Home Secretary and I agreed that Sir Mark Rowley is the best person to lead the Metropolitan Police as the new Commissioner at this extremely challenging time.
It would not be right to make public the specific content of the various conversations held during the recruitment process, or those held subsequently with the incoming Commissioner, just as private conversations with the MPS remain private at other times.
However, I have been clear both in public and private that we now need to see nothing less than a new contract forged between the police and the public.
Sir Mark Rowley has demonstrated to me that he is determined to be a reforming Commissioner, committed to implementing a robust plan to rebuild trust and confidence in the police.
He has also been clear that he will drive through the urgent reforms and step change in culture and performance Londoners deserve.
As Mayor, I will support him to deliver these promises as I continue to hold the MPS to account.

No arrests

Susan Hall: For each financial year, 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22 how many Met police officers made no arrests?

The Mayor: To establish this, a huge amount of data would need to be downloaded from both custody and HR systems. Individual records would then need to be analysed, which would take an excessive amount of time.

Operation Olympus

Susan Hall: How many potential victims have been identified in London as part of the Met’s Operation Olympus?

The Mayor: As Operation Olympus remains a live criminal investigation I cannot comment on this case.

Recording of tube noise complaints

Caroline Pidgeon: In response to question 2019/1754, TfL provided a table showing the location of tube noise complaints since November 2015. Please provide an updated table showing the recorded location of tube noise complaints from November 2015 to present.

The Mayor: Addressing Tube noise remains a priority for Transport for London (TfL) and me. TfL continue to invest in London Underground’s track renewal and maintenance, including a continuous programme of rail grinding and track modernisation. TfL also carry out other targeted interventions to reduce noise, including the removal of redundant rail joints, the maintenance of points and crossings, and re-ballasting track where required, as well as a programme of rail grinding.
However, TfL’s ability to carry out long-term interventions to tackle issues with Tube noise is extremely limited in its current funding environment as these can be costly. Without a long-term funding settlement with Government, TfL’s ability to plan future work is hugely constrained.
Please find the updated table attached.

The Mayor: 2283 Recording of tube noise complaints attachment.xlsx

Impact of tube noise on tube drivers

Caroline Pidgeon: Further to your answer to question 2021/4263, please provide an update on the steps that have been taken to resume more regular in-cab readings in known ‘hotspot’ areas, which were paused due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) carries out annual checks on in-cab noise levels on all lines, and these all remain within current Health & Safety Executive (HSE) limits.
I can also confirm that TfL has now resumed more regular in-cab readings in known ‘hotspot’ areas. TfL continues to hold regular discussions on this issue with trade unions.

Free NHS for everyone (3)

Emma Best: You stated “some migrants can face being charged upfront fees for healthcare that is not deemed urgent or immediately necessary, or be charged retrospectively for urgent treatment, including maternity services”. Can you provide the statistics behind this statement.

The Mayor: The NHS charging regulations are set out in The National Health Service (charges to overseas visitors) 2015 legislation. Changes introduced in 2017 mandate NHS trusts to seek upfront payment for migrants within scope, for treatment which is not deemed urgent or immediately necessary by a clinician. This treatment should not be withheld, but is billed for later and includes maternity services.
A recent Doctors of the World report found that over a third of pregnant women in the cohort analysed reported receiving a bill, and that costs ranged from £296 to £14,000 with half of those receiving a bill being charged more than £7000. A recent review carried out by the NHS Race and Health observatory found that immigration status is also associated with late booking and presentation in maternity services.

Devolution of the Adult Education Budget

Hina Bokhari: Please publish a comparison between the number of learners that participated in Adult Education Budget (AEB)-funded learning in the year before the AEB was devolved (2018-2019) with the number of learners that have participated in AEB-funded learning in each year since devolution; and please provide a breakdown of this data by learner characteristic.

The Mayor: The Department for Education published data for the academic year 2018/19 covering all adult (19+) funded further education and skills (including apprenticeships) participation in London. This data, which is not directly comparable to the AEB, is available here.
The GLA published detailed learner AEB data for the first time in June 2020 (after devolution). This data and subsequent publications are available here. A summary table is shown attached. |t is important to remember that the pandemic had a significant impact on learning provision and participation, particularly during the initial lockdowns. Drops in learner participation in London have been either in line with, or less pronounced than, national trends.

The Mayor: 2022-2340 table.docx

Trans health matters (3)

Caroline Russell: In your response to the February 2022 report, Trans health matters: improving access to healthcare for trans and gender-diverse Londoners, from the London Assembly Health Committee, you said that you welcomed recommendation six on funding an awareness campaign to explain how to disclose trans status to healthcare providers, and would raise it with the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID). OHID told me the next opportunity to explore an awareness campaign would be in the next round of financial year 2023-24 campaign funding. Will your office work to support this awareness campaign during this funding period?

The Mayor: In my response to the Trans Health Matters Assembly report I said I would ask the London Health and Care Leaders Group to raise developing an awareness campaign with NHS and OHID colleagues once other recommendations contained within the report had been progressed within the NHS.
I have been informed that OHID London does not currently hold a budget for health campaigns, nor do they have dedicated media/health communications support for the region. All OHID health campaigns are led nationally. OHID national colleagues in the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) will consider this alongside other national priorities and requests. OHID London will continue to work with national colleagues to explore opportunities for this issue to be considered in the 2023/2024 campaign funding prioritisation exercise.
Health Team Officers will continue to work with NHS and OHID colleagues on these issues and, when timings are practicable for all stakeholders, support the development of an awareness raising campaign.

Trans health matters (2)

Caroline Russell: In your response to the February 2022 report, Trans health matters: improving access to healthcare for trans and gender-diverse Londoners, from the London Assembly Health Committee, you said that you would not implement recommendation three by commissioning research with the NHS into healthcare needs of trans and gender-diverse (TGD) people in London, but that you would be happy for officers to work with NHS colleagues. The NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSEI) response has also indicated it would be happy to work with your officers. Have your officers met with NHS England to discuss this recommendation?

The Mayor: My letter of 31 March to the Assembly Health Committee outlined my response to the Trans Health Matters Assembly report. In my reply I explained that commissioning research into the healthcare needs of trans and gender diverse (TGD) people in London sits within the remit of the NHS.
I welcomed the opportunity to support the NHS to develop a research commission. Health Team officers continue to engage with NHS London colleagues on these issues.

Trans health matters (1)

Caroline Russell: In your response to the February 2022 report, Trans health matters: improving access to healthcare for trans and gender-diverse Londoners, from the London Assembly Health Committee, you said that you would not implement recommendation one to convene a consultative group to consider the health inequality implications of trans and gender-diverse (TGD) people’s healthcare. You told me this was because you already engage with TGD stakeholders through your Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group. What work has your Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group done since that date on health issues relating to TGD Londoners?

The Mayor: The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group will be sent the Trans Health Matters report and recommendations ahead of their September meeting for consideration.
My officers are also meeting separately with members of the group, including with my three LGBTQ+ specific advisers, to discuss the recommendations of the Health Committee and my response. Officers will build feedback from that discussion into their work with NHS and Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) colleagues as this work goes forward.

Academy Hubs Programme (14)

Emma Best: Why don’t the Health Academy Hubs cover all London Boroughs?

The Mayor: The GLA originally intended to fund one Mayor’s Academies Programme (MAP) pilot health hub as part of the hub grant award process to cover one Integrated Care System (ICS). However, based on the strength of the health hub proposals received, both NHS England and Improvements (NHS/I) and Health Education England (HEE) agreed to provide the GLA with funding for two additional health hubs.
Based on the strength of proposals the GLA committed to explore ways of funding the remaining two health hubs to ensure pan-London coverage. HEE has subsequently confirmed that it will fund one additional hub and, subject to approval, the GLA intends to fund the remaining health hub using unallocated MAP funding. These two remaining hubs should go live in October 2022.

Climate Kick-Start (2)

Neil Garratt: What role will Bloomberg L.P and Let’s Go Zero 2030 be playing as part of the Climate Kick-Start campaign?

The Mayor: Following the success of the 2021 programme, Ashden (Let’s Go Zero 2030) and Bloomberg Corporate Philanthropy are once again supporting the programme as part of the stakeholder steering group. Bloomberg Corporate Philanthropy are also providing additional funding for the programme, as detailed in MQ2715.
The role of the steering group comprises of sense-checking and challenging the delivery model and governance of the programme; connecting to similar programmes and initiatives to avoid duplication; helping to promote the programme to a wide variety of schools networks; lending expert support and advice; and assisting with the shortlisting and selection of Climate Kick-Start Prizes.
This year, the steering group will include members from the GLA’s Jobs and Skills teams, plus the manager of the Green Recovery and Strategy team.

Policing Football

Unmesh Desai: Following on from MQ 2022/1997, can you provide me with data for a full season for the cost of policing football in London?

The Mayor: The full season will not conclude until the completion of the Women’s European Championship which is currently ongoing and won’t conclude till the 31st July 2022. The full season costs will be released 8 weeks after the completion of the Euros, in accordance with the publication scheme. Data will be published at https://www.met.police.uk/foi-ai/af/accessing-information/published-items/

Policing the Jubilee (1)

Unmesh Desai: What was the total cost to the Metropolitan police to police the Platinum Jubilee?

The Mayor: This costing work is currently ongoing. The Metropolitan Police Service is due to publish by 30th August 2022 the policing costs for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. When published, this will include costings for all resourcing, with the exception of Royalty and Specialist Protection Command whose costs are not published.

Building Safety Fund (1)

Sem Moema: When will the building safety fund be opened for leaseholders in London?

The Mayor: The Building Safety Fund (BSF) originally opened for applications in 2020 and closed later that year. The GLA is currently working with those applicants to administer funding so that buildings can be made safe urgently. It should be noted that applicants to the BSF are building owners – the freeholder, the head leaseholder, a Right to Manage company, or a managing agent. Leaseholders do not apply for BSF funding.
Government has yet to announce when the BSF will re-open for new applications in 2022. The Rt Hon Michal Gove said in his address to Parliament in January 2022 the next phase of the BSF would be launched ‘in the coming months’ with an emphasis on a risk-based approach. Earlier this month, Stuart Andrew MP indicated that the fund would open ‘at the earliest opportunity’. In the meantime, my team will continue to deliver the BSF at pace.

Catalytic Convertors

Unmesh Desai: How many robberies involving Catalytic Convertors have been reported to the Met in the last year?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has provided the attached spreadsheet which provides the total offences by crime types where a Catalytic Convertor was stolen. Please ensure the notes page is read in conjunction with the data to aid in interpretation.

The Mayor: 2449_Catalytic Convertors (1).xlsx

London-wide Digital Inclusion Service (2)

Marina Ahmad: How many organisations have you reached out to support the London-wide Digital Inclusion Service pilot, and of these, how many have committed to supporting it? Can you also provide me with a list of these organisations?

The Mayor: The London Office for Technology and Innovation (LOTI), GLA and Good Things Foundation want to ensure that the service is fit-for-purpose and meets the needs of its users. To support this, LOTI have conducted a series of engagement activities, including: presenting at the Digital Inclusion Taskforce which my Chief Digital Officer chairs, meeting with the London Libraries network, meeting with the London Recovery Youth Board, meeting with the London Recovery Board, workshops with London boroughs, and workshops with Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations. Here’s a list of London boroughs and VCS organisations that have attended workshops to date.
Formal engagement activities are planned for September onwards, when I'll be able to share more details of those who have committed to support the service.

The Mayor: London-wide Digital Inclusion Service (2) - Question No 20222352 - (1).xlsx

Improving Mayoral Policies

Susan Hall: Which of your policies and programmes do you need to improve as Mayor of London?

The Mayor: While London is, in parts, a successful, prosperous global city, high levels of deprivation and inequality still blight some of our communities.
This has been exacerbated by over a decade of government cuts to public funding and a devastating global pandemic.
But I remain focussed on doing everything in my power to make London fairer for all.
We’re always looking to improve our policies and the way we work to best deliver for Londoners, so as circumstances change and the needs of Londoners evolve, so does our policy programme.
A good example of this is the development of the cross-party, cross-sector, London-wide Recovery Board.
We formed the Recovery Board during the pandemic to bring all of London’s key leaders together to chart a course out of the crisis that would rebuild our city and make sure it was fairer, healthier, and more prosperous than before.
In May the London Recovery Board launched Building a Fairer London – its action plan for tackling structural inequalities in the city.
Tackling inequality in London is also a central aim of the recovery programme’s economic framework.
These initiatives are ambitious and require London’s public institutions and partners – including central government – to work together to improve the lives of all Londoners.

London-wide Digital Inclusion Service (1)

Marina Ahmad: I welcome the news of your pilot of the London-wide Digital Inclusion Service which will be funded by £545k from the London Recovery Programme. How many Londoners are you expecting to support in the pilot?

The Mayor: The new service aims to support up to 75,000 people over three years and offer support through providing offline Londoners with upcycled devices, providing free or low/cost mobile connectivity, and making people aware of basic skills education courses available to them locally.

Building Safety Fund (3)

Sem Moema: When will the building safety fund be opened for London’s housing associations?

The Mayor: Please refer to to MQ2022/2495.

DLR Fare Evasion

Caroline Pidgeon: What is the total estimated revenue loss to TfL as a result of fare evasion on the Docklands Light Railway network?

The Mayor: Transport for London estimates fare evasion and revenue loss through surveys undertaken by revenue control inspectors. Surveys were not carried out during the pandemic, so there is no data for 2020/21 and 2021/22. For the ten years between 2010/11 and 2019/20, the estimated value of fares evaded on the Docklands Light Railway was just under £10.9m.

Dockless Bikes on Pavements

Tony Devenish: What are you doing to stop some brands of dockless hire bikes being left all over the pavements in my constituency and across London?

The Mayor: Please see my response to Mayor’s Question 2022/2454

Olympic and Paralympic Transport Legacy Action Plan (21)

Elly Baker: In March 2012 the previous Mayor published his Olympic and Paralympic Transport Legacy Action Plan. Can you outline how Action 21 “TfL to investigate maintaining and building on operational practices used during the 2012 Games, including exploration of the potential for two platform faces per train at select locations on the Underground network to help manage passenger flows, reduce dwell times and improve journey times” has been delivered over the past 10 years?

The Mayor: The operational practice of dual side opening is typically in place at terminus stations where trains berth into an island platform, such as Stratford, Uxbridge, Barking and Morden.
It can be considered at stations suffering from congestion, provided trains berth into an island platform. However, every station site where this operational strategy is considered is unique. Projects may consider this approach if the proposal ensures that Transport for London (TfL) can meet the project requirements, deliver clear customer and operational benefits and is affordable within the available budget.

Carers in London

Tony Devenish: According to Carers UK “Across the UK today 6.5 million people are carers, supporting a loved one who is older, disabled or seriously ill”. What are you doing as Mayor to support vital organisations such as Carers UK and can you tell us how many carers there are in London?

The Mayor: I greatly admire the many thousands of Londoners who provide support, unpaid, to some of our most vulnerable residents. The social care system is under huge pressure and many unpaid carers are providing essential support that may previously have been provided by social care staff. This hidden workforce is difficult to measure - the 2011 census indicated almost 700,000 Londoners spend at least an hour a week caring for someone, and we await the new census figures later this year.
As Mayor I am working to make London a fairer, healthier and more accessible city for all its residents. For example, delivering what is set out in my Health Inequalities Strategy and Building a Fairer City will support carers’ lives. This includes support for young carers through the work of the Peer Outreach Workers, the collaboration with Alzheimer’s Society to make London a dementia-friendly capital city, and my Good Work Standard which seeks to support working carers - something I also apply in the GLA.
I have also jointly funded community-based projects which support young carers through my partnership working with London health and care partners.

Decarbonising non-residential buildings

Tony Devenish: How have you engaged with the Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce?

The Mayor: I welcome the City of London Corporation’s Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce. London’s position as a global centre for financial services provides an opportunity to play a leading role in establishing best practice on commercial retrofitting. I believe it can also demonstrate the economic value of businesses moving to a sustainable net zero carbon model, along with capturing the social and cultural value of doing so – for example, healthier working environments, good jobs and a more diverse and inclusive workforce.
City Hall is actively supporting the work of the Taskforce. The GLA’s Assistant Director for Skills and Employment is a member of the Taskforce itself, and other GLA officers are supporting its working groups. My officers have also supported the Taskforce through its contribution to the London Recovery Board’s Commercial Retrofit Working Group, which City Hall co-convenes with London Councils and the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).

Health of Londoners

Tony Devenish: The IPPR’s report Sustainable healthcare: Practical steps to build back better in the English NHS, highlights that “just 9 per cent of men and 16 per cent of women born today can expect to reach state retirement age in good health”. What have you done in your role as the Chair of the London Health Board to tackle poor health outcomes related to London’s ageing population over the last 6 years? What are the equivalent figures for London ?

The Mayor: I welcome IPPR’s report which shines a spotlight on better health as a priority of the recovery, including older people’s health needs.
Equivalent London figures show that, on average, men in four boroughs and women in 11 of the 32 boroughs can expect to reach retirement age in good health. Healthy life expectancy in London is higher than England. This is not due to one single programme or intervention. It demonstrates partnership progress in London to tackle health inequalities and support Londoners to age well.
My Health Inequalities Strategy (HIS) takes a life course approach preventing poor health throughout people’s lives, from the early years to old age. Taking bold steps to address the wider determinants of health that contribute to ill health. This includes action on London’s toxic air, increasing opportunities for active travel, supporting mental wellbeing, and influencing access to unhealthy food.
The HIS, together with the Health and Care Partnership Vision, forms the framework for the London Health Board priorities.

Housing Delivery (2)

Sem Moema: Last year you also started just under five thousand City Hall-backed council homes (2021/22). That is the highest level of council homes in a generation - forty years to be exact. But despite that huge success, I have concerns that we may see inflation further drive up the cost of materials, energy and ultimately construction costs. Does this pose a risk to the viability of future projects and if so, what action is needed to continue your leading council homebuilding programme?

The Mayor: I am aware that inflationary pressures are driving up the cost of materials and wider construction costs. I share your concerns – which have been echoed by many of our delivery partners - that these pressures may impact the viability of future affordable housing projects, including homes built by councils.
My housing team is monitoring the situation closely and escalating to central government the challenges it is creating for partners. My officers are also working with partners to understand the mitigations that can be put in place. At present, we have limited financial ability to respond, but we are lobbying government for more resources to recognise these exceptional pressures and the need for funding flexibility if we are to continue to deliver the genuinely affordable homes London needs.

Toolkit for City Hall Funded Skills Providers

Hina Bokhari: As referenced in your 13th Mayor’s report, please set out a detailed timeline for when the toolkits to support City Hall funded skills providers will be developed.

The Mayor: In the Skills Roadmap for London, I have set out my expectations for City Hall funded providers to build on their role as anchor institutions in their communities by working towards the Good Work Standard, becoming inclusive and representative of the communities they serve, and supporting my goal for London to reach net-zero by 2030. We are developing a programme of support to help providers to work towards meeting these expectations which will include a set of toolkits, guidance and sharing of best practice.
The toolkits will be commissioned in the autumn 2022 and are expected to be produced by the end of financial year 2022/23. Relevant stakeholders will be engaged in the development of the toolkits.

The Mayor: In the Skills Roadmap for London, I have set out my expectations for City Hall funded providers to build on their role as anchor institutions in their communities by working towards the Good Work Standard, becoming inclusive and representative of the communities they serve, and supporting my goal for London to reach net-zero by 2030. We are developing a programme of support to help providers to work towards meeting these expectations which will include a set of toolkits, guidance and sharing of best practice.
The toolkits will be commissioned in the autumn 2022 and are expected to be produced by the end of financial year 2022/23. Relevant stakeholders will be engaged in the development of the toolkits.

Procuring a New Organisation to Run Pride in London

Caroline Pidgeon: How will you ensure the process for selecting a new organisation to run Pride in London will be as transparent as possible and what steps are you taking to ensure the event is inclusive given previous criticisms that have been widely made?

The Mayor: Proposals are being sought from LGBTQI+ community led organisations and community collaborations of all types to deliver London’s Pride parade from 2023 to 2027.
The process for selecting a new organisation to run London Pride has been developed in consultation with a wide selection of LGBTQI+ community groups. They have reviewed and inputted into the structure of the process, development of documents and evaluation criteria. Proposals will be assessed and scored by LGBTQI+ community advisory members, GLA officers, and representatives from key partners. Potential proposals will also be invited to interview with the assessing panel.
A significant part of the evaluation criteria is weighted on the applicant demonstrating an effective community engagement plan highlighting how they will support and engage with diverse LGBTQI+ community groups and organisations in London. They will also need to identify organisations and groups that will be consulted and demonstrate how the event will appeal to all LGBTQI+ community members.

Ward Councillors and Affordable Housing

Sem Moema: How are you working to empower ward councillors to unlock more affordable housing in London?

The Mayor: I hope that elected politicians at all levels will be working towards building the homes, particularly the genuinely affordable homes, that London needs. My Affordable Homes Programme provides funding for genuinely affordable homes across all of London, including social housing for households in need and London Living Rent and shared ownership homes for those trying to get onto the property ladder. My London Plan complements this funding by providing a clear and supportive planning framework, ensuring that new homes meet ambitious design standards and contribute positively to their neighbourhoods.

East London Waterworks Park

Sem Moema: What steps will you take to lend political support to East London Waterworks Park to help it secure the Thames Water Depot on Lea Bridge Road and to ask LocatED that the site be disposed at an affordable rate to facilitate the project’s social value?

The Mayor: In February my Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy Shirley Rodrigues wrote to the East London Waterworks Park in support of the project. It supports my ambitions to increase access to green and natural spaces for Londoners. Policy G3 of my London Plan sets out that boroughs should work with partners to enhance the quality and range of uses of Metropolitan Open Land, and that proposals to enhance access to Metropolitan Open Land and to improve poorer quality areas, so that they provide a wider range of benefits for Londoners, should be encouraged. Swimming in particular has huge benefits in helping to ensure Londoners stay active, as well as improving mental health and wellbeing.
LocatED are a commercial entity owned by the Government and not under my control, as such I have no powers to direct their decisions regarding land disposal.

Crystal Palace National Sports Centre refurbishment

Siân Berry: Mayoral Decision MD2910 states that planning permission for the refurbishment of Crystal Palace National Sports Centre will be submitted by June 2022. I cannot find a relevant application on the Bromley Council website. Could you tell me when a planning application will be submitted?

The Mayor: We now have a much clearer idea of the complexity and level of work needed to deliver a transformational refurbishment to the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre (NSC) and to reopen the pools to Londoners. Consultant tenders are being reviewed and assessed at the moment to ensure the best team for the job are appointed to take the project forward. Once appointed, an accurate project programme will be agreed and widely communicated.
Assembly Member Siân Berry is invited to be briefed on the work done to date and the concept design proposals for the centre, which will bring it safely back into full use as soon as possible and deliver positive sporting, community, health and wellbeing outcomes for Londoners.

Housing for Older Londoners

Sem Moema: What support is the GLA providing to councils to assist them in building more housing for older Londoners?

The Mayor: I am committed to meeting London’s diverse housing needs, including of its ageing population. Through my Care and Support Specialised Housing programme, I provide capital funding for councils and housing associations to build affordable homes tailored to older people’s needs. I also fund supported homes for older people through my Affordable Homes Programme (AHP). In addition to homes at affordable rent, the AHP also funds Older Persons Shared Ownership, which is a form of shared ownership specifically tailored for those above the age of 55. I am particularly proud to have supported the delivery of the UK’s first LGBTQ+ affirming retirement community with a loan to Tonic Housing from my Community Housing Fund.
To help councils address challenges around land supply, I recently launched the Land for Council Homes Revenue Fund. I specifically encourage council bids to look at sites for specialist and supported housing, which can address older Londoners’ housing needs. My London Plan Policy H13 also advocates that boroughs should work collaboratively with providers to identify sites that may be suitable for older persons housing.

Serious Collision Investigation Unit

Caroline Russell: Could you tell me the number of collisions which the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Serious Collision Investigation Unit investigated in 2021, broken down by CRASH/COPA severity type categories, which are Fatal, Very Serious, Moderately Serious, Less Serious, and Slight?

The Mayor: In 2021 the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) conducted 185 investigations. 72 of the 185 investigations were for Fatal collisions and the remaining 113 were for those that were deemed to be ‘life changing’ (i.e., at the upper end of the Serious category).
To note - the COPA system used by the MPS categorises severity levels as Slight, Serious and Fatal. The threshold for SCIU investigation is where there is the loss of a limb or where the victim is likely to lose their independence, so they are not involved with any collisions from the Slight category.

Maternal health (5)

Emma Best: Do you agree that expansion of the polluting Edmonton incinerator will have a negative health impact on pregnant women?

The Mayor: I have been clear that London does not need any additional incineration capacity. I published an independent analysis of the health impacts of waste incineration in London in 2020: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/gla_efw_study_final_may2020.pdf.
One study noted that a possible link between proximity to incinerators and small excess risks associated with heart defects and genital anomalies could not be excluded. No other evidence of an association between incinerators in Britain and infant mortality, adverse pregnancy, birth or neonatal outcomes was found at this point.
What is evident through is that air pollution from all sources, including transport, increases the risk of some adverse birth outcomes. This is why I am committed to continue to reduce pollution from all sources through all the policies and levers I have available including consulting on the expansion of the ULEZ London wide, using borough waste contracts and RRPs to ensure fleets are ULEZ compliant and planning and other policies.

Changes to TfL road danger reduction dashboard

Caroline Russell: The road danger reduction dashboard from Transport for London (TfL) visualises the most recently validated collision figures to enable users to easily understand the data. The dashboard’s borough casualty map identifies the mode of travel of the victim, it doesn’t identify what type of vehicle collided with them. Do you have plans to add this data to the road danger reduction dashboard so Londoners can better understand how these collisions occur?

The Mayor: Transport for London’s (TfL’s) road danger reduction dashboard does include the type of vehicle(s) involved in a collision. TfL is aware that this data can be difficult to access as it can only be viewed on an ‘incident by incident’ basis when using the map data; it displays when the cursor ‘hovers over’ an individual collision record.
TfL is committed to providing Londoners with the best possible data presented in the most accessible way and is aware that there is an interest in information on the vehicle involved. Making this category of information more accessible is among the improvements that TfL is already planning to make to the dashboard later this year.
TfL’s recently published Casualties in Greater London during 2021 factsheet contains details of vehicles involved in collisions. Tables 7 and D3 should be useful and can be found on its website here: https://content.tfl.gov.uk/casualties-in-greater-london-2021.pdf

New TfL enforcement powers

Caroline Russell: The Government has introduced welcome new powers allowing Transport for London (TfL) and London boroughs to fine motorists who infringe on cycle lanes and cycle tracks, in the same way that they currently do for bus lanes and yellow box junctions. How will this impact the work of roads policing conducted by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)?

The Mayor: The new power allowing Transport for London (TfL) to enforce non-compliance of Mandatory Cycle Lanes will help improve safety and the confidence of people cycling. This will support the growth in cycling we’ve seen since the start of the pandemic and help meet the Vision Zero goal of eliminating death and serious injury on the road network.
TfL taking on the responsibility for compliance with and enforcement of road space allocation – as it currently does for bus lanes. This will complement the activities carried out by the Metropolitan Police Service’s Roads and Transport Policing Command (RTPC). This change will allow the RTPC to focus its activities on speedingand the most dangerous and risky drivers and road users, contributing to TfL’s aim to reduce road danger.

Police cycling uniform

Caroline Russell: Has the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) conducted a health and safety review of the heavy police uniform and equipment worn by officers who cycle regularly as part of their job? Given the high temperatures that are now experienced regularly in London, are there any plans to adapt the uniform, for example by allowing shorts to be worn?

The Mayor: Cycle patrol is just one of a range of patrol modes available to officers. The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) risk assesses each mode of deployment corporately, but also dynamically by the officer at the time of deployment, taking into account factors such as the weather.
The main weight of police uniform comes from essential equipment such as body armour, handcuffs, baton, PAVA spray, Airwave radio, and body-worn video camera.
Officers who regularly cycle can access specifically designed cycle trousers. General patrol shirts are made of lighter, breathable fabrics with a wicking material on the torso where body armour sits to help regulate body temperature and increase comfort. Officers are issued with two hi-vis jackets – a waterproof winter jacket and a lighter, more flexible and airy summer jacket. Police cycle helmets are also very lightweight and more breathable than a bowler, custodian or peaked hat while offering good head protection.
There are no plans at this time for the implementation of shorts. However, uniform garments are often reviewed by the Uniform and Appearance Board.

The Accessible Information Standard for NHS England

Caroline Russell: A constituent has raised issues they face from not being able to access NHS documents that are not offered in Disabled Alternative Accessible Formats. This has led to delays in treatment as they told me that accessible documents often take an additional four weeks to arrive after being specifically requested. Will you raise this issue in your regular meetings with the London Health Board and the NHS England Regional Director for London to make sure GPs and NHS trusts offer accessible formats in the first instance, in accordance with the Accessible Information Standard 2015-16?

The Mayor: I am concerned to hear that your constituent has faced problems in accessing NHS documents in an accessible format. This is clearly an important issue to ensure equity for all Londoners. I understand from NHS London that when the Accessible Information Standard for NHS England was first introduced information was shared widely about the requirements, together with support documents, and NHS London has not previously been aware of any issues.
NHS London has offered to send a reminder to NHS organisations about the requirements under the Accessible Information Standard. If there is a specific complaint about documents from a specific NHS organisation, NHS London has suggested raising the matter via the local complaints system, or with local commissioners. I am happy to raise this matter at a future meeting with the NHS London Regional Director.

Tulse Hill Gyratory

Marina Ahmad: What steps will you take with (a) TfL and (b) Lambeth Council to progress work surrounding Tulse Hill gyratory improvements? My constituents are eager to see works delivered on this gyratory to ensure the area is improved for pedestrians and cyclists as well as the environmental and health benefits of active travel.

The Mayor: As I outlined in my response to Mayor’s Question 2021/2455, the Tulse Hill project was paused in spring 2020 due to the pandemic. It restarted in mid-2021 with feasibility work to define the different options that would address the range of improvements needed at this location. One of these options included proposals being championed by the local community.
Regrettably, further piecemeal, short-term funding extensions since 2021 have meant that Transport for London (TfL) had no choice but to pause the project again due to lack of funding and resources. TfL hopes to revisit the project later in 2022, subject to the Government offering a sustainable longer-term funding deal and prioritisation across the Healthy Streets portfolio.

Hospitals and Extreme Weather Events

Krupesh Hirani: Last year, we saw extreme weather events in London lead to the evacuation of some wards in Whipps Cross hospital that were flooded, and operations cancelled. Whilst the Government delays funding decisions for hospital projects and upgrades in the capital, how are you working with London’s NHS and relevant partners to prepare for emergencies like these in the future?

The Mayor: I am disappointed by the reports of funding delays to the New Hospital Programme. Barts Health NHS Trust has invested approximately £2million to protect low-lying infrastructure from flooding at Whipps Cross Hospital since July 2021 including raising the electrical substation above maximum flood level and installing extra drains to protect against water ingress from roads.
NHS England (London) works with the NHS across London to ensure they are prepared to respond to emergencies in the city. They work closely with many different multi-agency partners, including the London Resilience Partnership, who are part of my flooding roundtable, convened after the July 2021 floods. Planning for a response to a wide range of scenarios that could impact London and Londoners, for example the potential flooding of hospital sites, is a key part of this. Actions delivered through the roundtable include improvements in multi-agency incident planning and response, data sharing and communications; both between partners and also improved public communications in advance of and during a flood.
.

NHS Net-Zero Roadmap

Krupesh Hirani: City Hall has been working with London’s NHS trusts to help it to publish an achievable roadmap to reach net-zero by 2040. How important is it that the Government now allocates the necessary funding to ensure London’s hospital buildings can be upgraded so they are greener and more resilient to extreme weather events?

The Mayor: The NHS became the first health system to embed net zero into legislation on 1 July 2022. On Clean Air Day, 16 June, it was announced that every NHS trust in London now has a net zero strategy to build a Greener NHS. Reaching net zero will have a real and positive impact on the health of Londoners and it is absolutely vital that the NHS plays a key role.
That is why we need the Government’s commitment to long-term, multi-billion pound, funding for domestic and public sector building decarbonisation, including for London’s hospitals, rather than short term, single year, single measure programmes.
Through the London Anchor Institutions Network, I am working with the NHS and some of the capital’s biggest organisations to support the acceleration of public estate decarbonisation and ensuring a trained workforce in green construction. This includes maximising the support of my Retrofit Accelerator programmes to help them develop a pipeline of decarbonisation projects.

GP Workforce and Continuity of Care in London

Krupesh Hirani: Research from Queen Mary, University of London, has revealed of the one million adults registered at 126 GP practices in East London, only half (52%) of patients regularly see the same GP. How important is it the Government gets to grips with the GP workforce crisis in London to ensure better continuity of care for patients?

The Mayor: I am concerned about the GP – and wider NHS – workforce crisis in London.
Although I am not responsible for provision of health or care services in London, or the resourcing of them, I have ensured that my London Health Board has prioritised the workforce for discussion at two of the most recent meetings. My health adviser is also working with the NHS in London to look at what more can be done to recruit and retain more GPs and other primary care staff in London, while my Health Academy Hubs aim to provide an ‘entry-level’ pipeline of staff from local communities.
However, the government must do more to tackle the workforce crisis and protect the continuity of care for Londoners. Yet we are still awaiting their highly anticipated workforce plan for the NHS.

Thrive LDN and Mental Health Support for Refugees

Krupesh Hirani: Are there plans for Thrive LDN to provide mental health outreach support services for refugees arriving in London?

The Mayor: Thrive LDN has initiated and supported London’s public mental health response to recent geopolitical crises and resulting displacements, collaborating across the health and social care system, Greater London Authority and displaced communities themselves.
Thrive LDN co-developed targeted support and wellbeing resources for Afghan evacuees, delivered training on trauma informed practice in humanitarian crises to more than 650 people in light of the Ukraine conflict, and are currently working with community partners to support the mental health needs of new arrivals from Hong Kong.
Thrive LDN will continue to support an evidence-driven approach to engagement with displaced communities, applying learning from recent crises to continue to promote mental wellbeing as a key part of successful resettlement and integration work.

Right to Thrive and Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Health Inequalities

Krupesh Hirani: Can you provide an update on how the Right to Thrive programme is engaging with London’s Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities?

The Mayor: Thrive LDN’s Right to Thrive programme encompasses a broad range of partnerships and activities which collectively aim to support those communities and groups most likely to experience poor mental health. London’s Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities are important community groups which the programme engages with. Through the Right to Thrive grants scheme, 72 people from these communities have been directly supported through mental health and wellbeing projects.
Right to Thrive partners include the Traveller Movement, a charity that supports Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities and challenges discrimination. The Traveller Movement are a key member of Thrive LDN’s Economic Wellbeing Forum, established as part of Right to Thrive. The Forum aims to collaboratively develop public mental health and suicide prevention resources for Londoners struggling with debt or financial anxiety, particularly for those at greater risk. The charity have previously worked with Thrive LDN to engage community members around the issue of domestic violence.

Smokefree London

Krupesh Hirani: Can you provide an update on the progress of City Hall’s work with partners on making our city smokefree ahead of the national target of 2030?

The Mayor: I am committed to supporting partners’ efforts to achieve a smokefree city by 2029, as set out in London’s Health Inequalities Strategy and London Heath and Care Vision.
Smoking remains the biggest cause of early death and ill health in London and causes significant health inequalities. Although London has some of the lowest rates in the country, smoking rates between the poorest and richest Londoners is stark: 29% of those living in social housing smoke compared with just over 7% of those that own their own home.
I am pleased the NHS has identified smoking cessation as a priority across the core20plus5 framework, given its significance as a risk factor for many long-term conditions.
My health team are also supporting partners to develop the new London Tobacco Control Alliance, which will integrate and amplify the work of local authorities, health, care and voluntary sector organisations to achieve our shared aspiration of a smokefree city.

Alcohol Support Services

Krupesh Hirani: Can you provide an update on the plans of London’s NHS to identify and recommend early adopter sites to receive additional funding to develop their Alcohol Care Teams in London’s hospitals?

The Mayor: As I do not have either powers or responsibility for the commissioning or provision of health or care services to support people affected by alcohol misuse, my officers approached the NHS and Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) for a response.
Information provided by NHSE London and OHID showed that thosehospitals withthe highest rate of alcohol dependence-related admissions are being supported to fully establish Alcohol Care Teams (ACTs)using funding from their Integrated Care Board’s (ICB’s) health inequalities funding supplement, working in partnership with local authority commissioners of drug and alcohol services. OHID (London) and NHSE (London) ran an audit and data process to identify early adopters which included levels of alcohol harm and current capacity of ACTs.
In the 2020/21 Wave 1 roll-out, one early implementer ACT site per region was identified for additional NHSE funding, Ealing hospital was the London site chosen.
In April 2021 a 2nd wave of sites were chosen against a combined metric of CCG level deprivation and alcohol specific mortality. These are
King’s College Hospital, Homerton University Hospital, The Royal London Hospital and University Hospital Lewisham.

Black and Minority Ethnic London Landlords

Sem Moema: What support is the GLA providing to Black and Minority Ethnic Londoners to remedy the inequalities that exist for Black and Minority Ethnic people’s housing situations in London?

The Mayor: The housing crisis disproportionately affects Londoners who are Black and from other ethnic minority backgrounds. While success in providing more genuinely affordable housing, and improving the quality and security of tenure in the private rented sector, help reduce disparities in housing for all Londoners, Black and minority ethnic Londoners benefit in particular – for example half of lettings of social housing are to Black and minority ethnic Londoners. I am pleased that both AHP programmes under my tenure are progressing well. The AHP 2016-23 is in its final year and we have hit every single target since the programme was agreed with government. The majority of the £4 billion funds dedicated to the AHP 2021-26 programme have already been allocated and contracts are currently being finalised with partners.

Health Disparities White Paper

Krupesh Hirani: What do you want to see in the Government’s upcoming Health Disparities white paper to help to tackle inequalities in London?

The Mayor: This White Paper presents an opportunity for government to show they are serious about tackling health inequalities. London is a city of stark health inequalities, as outlined in my Health Inequalities Strategy. While city partners work hard to tackle them, national government action is essential.
My Health Adviser corresponded with and met the Deputy Chief Medical Officer to discuss some of London’s concerns, asks, priorities, and opportunities for collaboration. Issues raised included the importance of working cross-government especially to tackle the wider determinants of health – mirroring London’s health in all polices approach; of working with and for communities to understand priorities and how to address them; of partnership working on complex issues; and the critical need for focussed action on structural racism and on poverty which are major drivers of health inequalities.
I hope the current disruption to government will not further delay publication of the white paper.

Specialised Accommodation (2)

Sem Moema: What move-on support is available for schemes in London, such as the Ekaya Housing Association’s supported housing, which provide accommodation for pregnant women and new mothers?

The Mayor: Unfortunately, while I continue to lobby government for more revenue to provide support in specialist accommodation, there is limited revenue funding currently available. With funding secured from the government, I am delivering move-on accommodation and support specifically for rough sleepers and survivors of domestic abuse through my Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme and Move On Programme. I am also providing capital for specialist accommodation, including move-on accommodation, through my Affordable Homes Programme. I am also investing revenue to support survivors of domestic abuse in safe accommodation through funding I have secured from the government to implement the GLA’s new duties under Part 4 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.

Climate Kick-Start (4)

Neil Garratt: How will the winning bids be chosen for the Climate Kick-Start award, who will sit on the selection panel, and what criteria will be used?

The Mayor: Winner selection:
Shortlisting will be conducted by the programme steering group. Each application will be scored by at least two individuals using the criteria set out below. A consensus meeting will be held between the assessors, where they will finalise the five final prize-winners based on the highest scores plus a consideration of geographical and thematic spread.
Selection panel:
The selection panel consists of members of the GLA Environment, Jobs and Skills and Children and Young Londoners teams, plus external partners Bloomberg Corporate Philanthropy, Ashden (Let’s Go Zero 2030) and Groundwork (the GLA’s grants administrator).
Criteria:
The full criteria are outlined in the application form and guidance notes published on the Climate Kick-Start website. Assessment is based on schools proposing an innovative, practical project; satisfying the prize objectives (i.e. meaningfully engaging a diverse set of students and helping to build their skills and knowledge around green careers) and demonstrating sound value for money.

Network of Cameras

Neil Garratt: Is a network of cameras tracking vehicles across London the most effective way to spend several hundred million pounds, if the objective is to improve air quality?

The Mayor: Since it was introduced in 2003, the Congestion Charge has been enforced using a network of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras, which capture images focused on the vehicle registration mark, rather than any moving footage.
The same system of enforcement has been used for the ULEZ since it was introduced in 2019, and TfL also uses ANPR to enforce the Low Emission Zone and the Direct Vision Standard.
Vehicle journeys are therefore not tracked across London. TfL only retains one set of ‘best quality’ images, which is anonymised, for enforcement purposes.
TfL is currently in the early stages of planning delivery of the proposed ULEZ expansion.
A London-wide ULEZ would build on the progress already made by the existing ULEZ in cleaning up London's air, and is expected to achieve almost a 10 per cent reduction of NOx emissions from cars in outer London, and lead to there being 114,000 fewer older, more polluting cars driven on an average day.

Building Safety Fund (2)

Sem Moema: When will the building safety fund be opened for London’s councils?

The Mayor: Please see answer to MQ 2494 for a response on the reopening of the BSF – this applies to applicants who are councils and housing associations too. It should be noted that my team has repeatedly raised concerns with government over the limited access for social landlords to the Building Safety Fund. My Deputy Mayor wrote to Lord Greenhalgh in May 2020 regarding this approach and I continue to be concerned by the restrictions faced by social landlords.

Academy Hubs Programme (2)

Emma Best: How many people have been recruited into the health sector as a result of training from the North East London Health Care Partnership?

The Mayor: The Mayor’s Academies Programme (MAP) is designed to help address skills shortages in sectors key to London’s recovery from COVID-19, including health, and to support Londoners most affected by the pandemic into good work. The hubs, including the North East London Integrated Care System (ICS), are currently rolling out delivery, with progress on their first full quarter of activity due to be reported at the end of July 2022. Hubs will be required to report on Londoners entering employment, apprenticeships or paid work placements in the Academies sectors, amongst other outputs. As some training will need to be undertaken before supporting learners into employment, we anticipate that employment outcomes will be achieved later in the delivery cycle.

Energy Costs and TfL (2)

Leonie Cooper: Given recent energy price rises, is London Underground going to implement reduced escalator running outside of peak periods, in larger stations that have multiple down or up escalators?

The Mayor: Transport for London’s (TfL) Corporate Environment Plan sets out its environmental ambition, including an aim to reduce energy demand and improve energy efficiency across the organisation.
TfL’s fleet of escalators play a key role in people’s journeys. TfL already aims to rest them under specific circumstances to save energy, such as when demand is low in off-peak periods, while of course ensuring that customer demand is still met.
TfL is exploring options to further improve energy efficiency, including the possible introduction of variable speed escalators (where viable) and permanently reducing escalator speeds.

Untreated sewage in London’s Rivers

Joanne McCartney: Is the Government’s Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan consultation too little too late for London? What does the final Plan need to include? What more needs to be done to clean up London’s rivers and what are you doing to support this work?

The Mayor: We need urgent action to protect our waterways- although the creation of the storm overflows task force is a positive step forward with £144 million of new, additional investment on storm overflows within the current 5-year water industry business planning period (2020-2025)investment in, though there is more to be done to improve London’s rivers. Tideway, when delivered in 2025, will contribute to improvements in some parts of central London, although action is needed to reduce the flows into our sewers through the implementation of other options including sustainable drainage systems.
The Environment Act requires water companies and government to produce a plan by September 2022 on actions they need to take to reduce and eventually eliminate storm overflows- and I expect a detailed but clear plan on how it will benefit the most sensitive rivers, and strong action from water regulators to ensure it is effective and .
My Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy meets with water companies and environmental NGOs regularly, through my Water Advisory Group, to hold them to account, including in relation to storm overflows. The Deputy Mayor also met with Thames Water leadership in July and expressed concerns over management of stormwater overflows and the pollution they create. My London Plan includes guidance to support appropriate and sustainable new sewerage infrastructure

Skills Bootcamps programme

Zack Polanski: Can you confirm that trainers delivering your Skills Bootcamps will all be paid at least the London Living Wage?

The Mayor: The Skills Bootcamps Programme is a national programme and does not have specific requirements regarding staff wages. However, my officers are working closely with all our service providers responsible for delivering skills and employment programmes and projects to work towards achieving my Good Work Standard (GWS). The GWS sets out a requirement for employers to pay at least the London Living Wage and those that meet all the criteria can apply for Mayoral accreditation and recognition as a leading employer. See the GLA website for further information on the Good Work Standard including the benefits of becoming GWS accredited.

London GP Callouts for Metropolitan Police Assistance

Krupesh Hirani: Please provide a breakdown of how many times the Metropolitan Police have been called out to London’s GPs over the last three years?

The Mayor: Please refer to my response to 2022/2468.

Supporting Elephant & Castle traders

Zack Polanski: How can you use your influence and convening power as Mayor to support the traders at Elephant & Castle with making their current locations more inviting to visit and improving their signage so that the public know where they are?

The Mayor: Within my Street and Covered Markets programme, several actions are underway to support the recovery of streets markets and London’s traders (2022/1225, 2021/3510). Through my Tomorrow’s Market programme we have provided targeted advice on a broad range of challenges facing markets and traders, including signage, wayfinding and communications. I will be publishing best practice guidance in the coming months, which aims to support a broad range of operators and traders. As markets are managed and licensed at a local level, I would encourage the traders at Elephant and Castle to continue to engage with their local authority representative and developer of the Elephant and Castle scheme to discuss how improvements can be made to their current site.

Political involvement in Pride

Zack Polanski: Do you think it is right that the Mayor of London has such a prominent role in Pride celebrations in London? Is it right that a politician makes such crucial decisions as to who is awarded funding in a grass roots protest movement?

The Mayor: London’s annual Pride celebrations are not only the UK’s largest LGBTQI+ event and parade, but one of the biggest in the world, attracting Londoners and visitors from across the UK and beyond. The Mayor of London plays an important role in supporting Pride celebrations in the city by providing funding, convening support from key agencies through the Licensing Operational Safety Planning Group and ensuring the event organisers are supported to deliver a large-scale event safely.
The process for selecting a new organisation to run London Pride has been developed in consultation with a wide selection of LGBTQI+ community groups. They have reviewed and inputted into the structure of the process, development of documents and evaluation criteria. Proposals will be assessed and scored by LGBTQI+ community advisory members, GLA officers, and representatives from key partners. Potential proposals will also be invited to interview with the assessing panel.

Climate Budgeting and London

Len Duvall: How will climate budgeting be introduced at the GLA? How will it differ to the pilot projects already rolled out?

The Mayor: London’s Climate Budget will be included as part of the GLA Group’s Consolidated Budget from 2023-24.
London’s Climate Budget will be introduced in stages with increasing scope. Initially, the focus will be on the GLA group’s net zero by 2030 target. Functional bodies will identify the funded interventions in place to reduce emissions and the further unfunded interventions still required to get to net zero by 2030. In future years, the scope of the climate budget will expand to the whole of London, identifying funded and unfunded actions, and those responsible for the actions, including outside the GLA group.
It is unclear which pilot projects are being referred to in the question. However, London’s climate budget is intended to identify all projects or programmes that reduce emissions from the GLA Group.

Cutting emissions from the consumption of meat and dairy products

Zack Polanski: The Committee on Climate Change 2022 report noted progress on reducing meat and dairy consumption in the UK, including councils providing plant-based food at catered events, and a strategy by the Welsh government to promote a dietary shift. What measures are you taking at City Hall and across your policy areas to promote a plant-based diet that would reduce the consumption of meat and dairy products, in line with the Committee on Climate Change’s balanced pathway?

The Mayor: London is signed up to the C40 Good Food Cities Declaration which commits the GLA to align food procurement policies to the Planetary Health Diet and reduce the emissions from food supply chains. City Hall’s café and hospitality contract specifically pledged to increase consumption of plant-based proteins by ensuring a significant proportion of the menu always contains vegan options, and event organisers can select from a range of vegan options.
Food emissions must be considered in the context of the whole food system. In 2020 London threw away the equivalent of 2 million tonnes of CO2e of food. That is why I set a target to half London’s food waste by 2030, in line with the CCC’s net zero pathway.
London leads the Food Flagship Initiative and is working with ReLondon and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to bring stakeholders together and implement pioneering circular food system solutions.

London Ambulance Service Requests for Metropolitan Police Assistance (1)

Krupesh Hirani: Please provide a breakdown of how many requests for assistance the London Ambulance Service (LAS) has made to the Metropolitan Police over the last three years?

The Mayor: The number of requests for assistance that the London Ambulance Service (LAS) has made to the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) over the last three financial years is shown in the table below. The information has been provided by the MPS and is taken from a report which has the identifier in the open text of ‘LAS’ but will not include any incidents in which this has been changed.
Please note that these figures will have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Financial Year
Total Requests
April 2019 – March 2020
50,808
April 2020 – March 2021
35,231
April 2021 – March 2022
32,765

London Ambulance Service Requests for Metropolitan Police Assistance (2)

Krupesh Hirani: Please provide a breakdown of how many requests for assistance from the London Ambulance Service (LAS) the Metropolitan Police has denied over the last three years?

The Mayor: The MPS have advised that it is not possible to provide this information as it is not possible to extract this information as it would require manual access of each individual record to understand the reasons for non-response. The MPS indicate that in these situations it is most likely that police attendance was no longer required.

Academy Hubs Programme (3)

Emma Best: Please provide the total cost for the North East London Health Care Partnership cluster of hubs.

The Mayor: The Mayor’s Academies Programme (MAP) is designed to help address skills shortages in sectors key to London’s recovery from COVID-19, including health, and to support Londoners most affected by the pandemic into good work. The Mayor’s Academies Programme (MAP) health hub in the North East London Integrated Care System (ICS) is receiving £250,000 to fund coordination resource across sub-region.

Intensification of Industrial Land (2)

Sakina Sheikh: Are you directing the GLA to use any industrial land that it has spare for stacked developments?

The Mayor: GLA officers have identified two freehold sites in my industrial land portfolio for multi-storey developments, which will demonstrate proof of concept for this new typology, in accordance with policy E7 of the London Plan. GLA officers will be procuring an industrial development partner for the first site at 75 Bugsby’s Way on Greenwich Peninsula shortly. The site is 1.3 hectares and has the potential to deliver three-storeys of industrial accommodation. It is expected that GLA officers will select the preferred development partner in Spring 2023, with a target start on site in Summer 2024. Soft market testing has demonstrated strong interest in the site from potential partners.

Waking Watch Relief Fund

Anne Clarke: How many grants have been made from this fund to date in London? Please provide a breakdown since the funds began, showing the size of grant and date of grant award.

The Mayor: As at 12 July 2022, 88 grant payments have been authorised from the Waking Watch Relief Fund totalling £8,157,133.
Waking Watch Relief Fund
Payment amount (£)
Date of payment authorisation
17,040
Sep 14, 2021
277,888
Sep 14, 2021
82,368
Sep 14, 2021
68,782
Sep 22, 2021
37,883
Sep 24, 2021
103,040
Sep 24, 2021
82,658
Sep 24, 2021
25,328
Oct 4, 2021
124,399
Oct 11, 2021
50,890
Oct 15, 2021
118,103
Oct 21, 2021
327,600
Oct 22, 2021
161,280
Oct 27, 2021
201,462
Oct 28, 2021
111,240
Nov 1, 2021
99,836
Nov 1, 2021
39,294
Nov 3, 2021
291,301
Nov 3, 2021
68,577
Nov 3, 2021
133,527
Nov 4, 2021
20,665
Nov 4, 2021
145,718
Nov 8, 2021
103,631
Nov 9, 2021
69,600
Nov 10, 2021
143,040
Nov 15, 2021
27,810
Nov 18, 2021
121,125
Nov 25, 2021
45,665
Nov 25, 2021
153,335
Dec 7, 2021
67,547
Dec 7, 2021
38,334
Dec 8, 2021
25,760
Dec 8, 2021
20,592
Dec 8, 2021
115,425
Dec 9, 2021
91,096
Dec 9, 2021
90,058
Dec 9, 2021
81,949
Dec 9, 2021
73,901
Dec 9, 2021
129,003
Dec 10, 2021
83,717
Dec 10, 2021
9,471
Dec 13, 2021
44,062
Dec 15, 2021
134,330
Dec 15, 2021
97,875
Dec 16, 2021
80,651
Dec 17, 2021
47,769
Dec 17, 2021
361,219
Dec 17, 2021
119,100
Dec 17, 2021
28,857
Dec 21, 2021
22,775
Dec 21, 2021
28,702
Dec 21, 2021
20,487
Dec 21, 2021
18,476
Dec 21, 2021
6,332
Dec 23, 2021
98,031
Jan 6, 2022
65,815
Jan 11, 2022
143,023
Jan 11, 2022
67,547
Jan 12, 2022
53,692
Jan 12, 2022
151,366
Jan 13, 2022
53,692
Jan 17, 2022
114,848
Jan 26, 2022
56,541
Feb 1, 2022
90,312
Feb 1, 2022
56,843
Feb 1, 2022
11,016
Feb 2, 2022
46,872
Feb 4, 2022
165,288
Feb 9, 2022
50,365
Feb 16, 2022
40,320
Mar 1, 2022
128,761
Mar 4, 2022
36,360
Mar 4, 2022
22,680
Mar 4, 2022
309,845
Mar 8, 2022
140,008
Mar 9, 2022
146,909
Mar 15, 2022
30,282
Mar 23, 2022
55,707
Mar 23, 2022
33,583
Mar 28, 2022
99,728
Apr 12, 2022
169,810
Apr 13, 2022
121,116
Apr 26, 2022
72,825
May 18, 2022
141,974
Jun 1, 2022
20,929
Jun 16, 2022
119,100
Jun 23, 2022
81,900
Jul 5, 2022
69,472
Jul 8, 2022
* This funding has been reclaimed from the applicant concerned, as the costs of the fire alarm installation were £820 lower that the original quote.

Social and Private Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Fund

Anne Clarke: How many grants have been made from these funds to date in London? Please provide a breakdown since the funds began, showing the size of grant; social or private residential; and month of grant award.

The Mayor: Social Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Fund
Payment amount (£)
Date of payment authorisation
277,842
Jan 29, 2019
1,967,170
Feb 8, 2019
7,610,557
Feb 14, 2019
5,556,092
Feb 14, 2019
1,265,600
Feb 25, 2019
1,533,820
Mar 15, 2019
663,718
Mar 15, 2019
663,718
Mar 15, 2019
13,091,657
Mar 18, 2019
1,794,918
Mar 28, 2019
324,543
Mar 28, 2019
633,606
Mar 29, 2019
276,242
May 10, 2019
3,028,886
Apr 18, 2019
359,650
May 29, 2019
678,305
May 8, 2019
513,030
May 8, 2019
785,957
May 15, 2019
1,841,562
Jun 7, 2019
844,872
Dec 20, 2019
1,124,949
Dec 19, 2019
4,847,856
Dec 18, 2019
89,912
Dec 13, 2019
826,553
Nov 27, 2019
2,046,413
Nov 12, 2019
242,894
Nov 7, 2019
332,181
Nov 1, 2019
332,181
Nov 1, 2019
8,985,065
Oct 29, 2019
332,181
Oct 16, 2019
1,328,722
Oct 16, 2019
1,328,722
Oct 15, 2019
1,328,722
Oct 15, 2019
141,837
Oct 9, 2019
2,399,994
Oct 4, 2019
2,399,994
Oct 4, 2019
2,399,993
Oct 4, 2019
388,993
Oct 1, 2019
266,266
Mar 11, 2020
4,740,146
Mar 6, 2020
826,553
Mar 5, 2020
837,066
Feb 5, 2020
826,553
Feb 5, 2020
505,514
Jan 23, 2020
730,991
Jan 23, 2020
128,258
Jan 23, 2020
1,944,327
Aug 14, 2019
2,619,090
Jul 5, 2019
567,350
Jul 5, 2019
1,378,865
Jul 18, 2019
93,584
Jul 18, 2019
491,793
Jul 19, 2019
382,284
Apr 23, 2020
85,525
Jun 3, 2020
328,221
Jun 3, 2020
308,583
Jun 8, 2020
1,726,003
Sep 30, 2020
84,634
Sep 23, 2020
393,546
Sep 8, 2020
987,501
Aug 18, 2020
1,010,044
Aug 18, 2020
10,169
Aug 6, 2020
45,618
Jul 23, 2020
2,294,445
Jul 2, 2020
580,576
Dec 23, 2020
517,709
Dec 23, 2020
2,380,000
Feb 16, 2021
1,002,458
Mar 10, 2021
155,089
Mar 24, 2021
588,396
Mar 26, 2021
144,044
Mar 26, 2021
3,588,224
Mar 30, 2021
165,930
Mar 30, 2021
383,455
Mar 30, 2021
165,930
Mar 30, 2021
103,440
Apr 15, 2021
588,396
Apr 28, 2021
144,044
Apr 28, 2021
459,841
Jun 18, 2021
8,657,574
Sep 10, 2021
356,052
Sep 30, 2021
316,403
Sep 20, 2021
145,406
Nov 17, 2021
163,527
Nov 17, 2021
2,185,646
Dec 16, 2021
1,731,448
Dec 16, 2021
893,187
Dec 21, 2021
211,218
Feb 4, 2022
206,638
Feb 4, 2022
206,638
Feb 4, 2022
206,638
Feb 4, 2022
244,318
Mar 11, 2022
347,598
Mar 12, 2022
426,712
Mar 12, 2022
1,933,417
Mar 12, 2022
12,739,389
Mar 17, 2022
13,112,546
Mar 17, 2022
13,326,775
Mar 17, 2022
14,004,582
Mar 17, 2022
420,935
May 7, 2022
558,790
May 7, 2022
69,501
May 12, 2022
2,055,881
May 17, 2022
2,055,881
May 17, 2022
2,055,882
May 17, 2022
1,113,696
May 17, 2022
1,113,696
May 17, 2022
1,113,696
May 17, 2022
138,472
May 25, 2022
2,263,641
Jun 8, 2022
Private Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Fund
Payment amount (£)
Date of payment authorisation
49,496
Feb 3, 2020
200,631
Apr 14, 2020
25,104
Apr 16, 2020
211,821
May 22, 2020
60,000
Jun 24, 2020
409,384
Jul 1, 2020
12,563
Jul 3, 2020
209,382
Jul 3, 2020
160,000
Jul 16, 2020
19,000
Jul 20, 2020
274,822
Jul 27, 2020
202,574
Aug 26, 2020
141,400
Sep 15, 2020
194,841
Sep 28, 2020
87,973
Oct 27, 2020
313,654
Oct 28, 2020
606,704
Nov 11, 2020
429,000
Nov 11, 2020
154,978
Nov 27, 2020
140,530
Dec 11, 2020
429,780
Dec 17, 2020
119,920
Dec 21, 2020
393,143
Dec 23, 2020
400,000
Jan 6, 2021
773,872
Jan 6, 2021
78,004
Jan 7, 2021
48,717
Jan 19, 2021
569,928
Jan 20, 2021
76,721
Feb 2, 2021
16,645
Feb 5, 2021
42,364
Feb 10, 2021
50,122
Feb 11, 2021
296,996
Feb 11, 2021
104,911
Feb 12, 2021
491,348
Feb 18, 2021
181,811
Feb 18, 2021
71,731
Feb 23, 2021
128,737
Feb 25, 2021
28,061
Mar 2, 2021
119,802
Mar 19, 2021
229,933
Mar 19, 2021
110,557
Mar 19, 2021
113,315
Mar 23, 2021
57,718
Mar 24, 2021
486,220
Mar 26, 2021
408,133
Mar 30, 2021
411,243
Mar 30, 2021
238,772
Apr 9, 2021
87,823
Apr 21, 2021
524,280
Apr 22, 2021
49,061
Apr 26, 2021
37,477
Apr 28, 2021
147,108
Apr 29, 2021
195,903
May 5, 2021
171,394
May 6, 2021
57,800
May 6, 2021
439,000
May 10, 2021
160,957
May 12, 2021
3,054,706
May 14, 2021
234,719
May 20, 2021
640,155
May 20, 2021
45,100
May 20, 2021
270,742
May 21, 2021
55,400
May 24, 2021
160,189
May 26, 2021
109,596
Jun 3, 2021
29,142
Jun 3, 2021
151,808
Jun 3, 2021
104,057
Jun 8, 2021
242,312
Jun 10, 2021
217,896
Jun 10, 2021
214,509
Jun 15, 2021
540,752
Jun 15, 2021
187,336
Jun 17, 2021
184,050
Jun 21, 2021
88,000
Jun 21, 2021
971,835
Jun 23, 2021
36,540
Jun 23, 2021
295,500
Jun 23, 2021
189,704
Jun 23, 2021
280,000
Jun 23, 2021
103,889
Jun 25, 2021
173,869
Jul 8, 2021
29,443
Jul 8, 2021
156,612
Jul 14, 2021
250,560
Jul 19, 2021
557,934
Jul 21, 2021
112,461
Jul 21, 2021
99,144
Jul 21, 2021
104,251
Jul 21, 2021
301,750
Jul 21, 2021
51,411
Jul 21, 2021
74,093
Jul 21, 2021
52,045
Jul 21, 2021
47,339
Jul 21, 2021
200,939
Jul 22, 2021
76,445
Jul 22, 2021
268,384
Jul 23, 2021
225,152
Jul 23, 2021
98,336
Jul 29, 2021
157,345
Aug 2, 2021
39,042
Aug 9, 2021
118,254
Aug 9, 2021
44,340
Aug 19, 2021
1,478,152
Aug 20, 2021
504,627
Aug 20, 2021
625,538
Aug 24, 2021
1,007,969
Aug 24, 2021
104,896
Aug 26, 2021
316,107
Aug 27, 2021
53,697
Sep 3, 2021
103,114
Sep 7, 2021
79,367
Sep 8, 2021
348,000
Sep 10, 2021
118,574
Sep 15, 2021
326,796
Sep 15, 2021
28,035
Sep 17, 2021
631,964
Sep 17, 2021
496,415
Sep 24, 2021
372,572
Sep 27, 2021
59,827
Sep 27, 2021
538,554
Sep 27, 2021
65,955
Sep 27, 2021
1,425,239
Oct 12, 2021
598,835
Oct 12, 2021
457,867
Oct 13, 2021
33,954
Oct 13, 2021
90,905
Oct 13, 2021
231,154
Oct 14, 2021
292,717
Oct 26, 2021
473,140
Oct 26, 2021
98,446
Oct 28, 2021
296,609
Oct 29, 2021
3,726,434
Nov 2, 2021
66,911
Nov 8, 2021
893,811
Nov 11, 2021
55,221
Nov 17, 2021
140,578
Nov 18, 2021
245,888
Nov 23, 2021
226,637
Nov 25, 2021
1,097,986
Nov 25, 2021
48,340
Nov 30, 2021
45,442
Nov 30, 2021
135,254
Dec 2, 2021
363,071
Dec 3, 2021
1,759,156
Dec 7, 2021
77,037
Dec 7, 2021
155,508
Dec 10, 2021
24,574
Dec 15, 2021
165,379
Dec 15, 2021
14,731
Dec 16, 2021
25,572
Dec 16, 2021
36,958
Dec 16, 2021
13,370
Dec 16, 2021
14,039
Dec 16, 2021
467,265
Dec 16, 2021
93,366
Dec 17, 2021
239,206
Dec 17, 2021
1,035,283
Dec 17, 2021
620,348
Dec 17, 2021
312,799
Dec 17, 2021
19,895
Dec 17, 2021
99,609
Dec 17, 2021
99,388
Dec 17, 2021
48,030
Dec 17, 2021
1,234,974
Dec 17, 2021
20,800
Dec 17, 2021
333,854
Dec 17, 2021
201,121
Dec 21, 2021
33,157
Dec 22, 2021
1,160,204
Dec 23, 2021
623,806
Jan 11, 2022
135,156
Jan 13, 2022
1,060,598
Jan 19, 2022
249,545
Jan 21, 2022
290,184
Jan 25, 2022
324,124
Jan 25, 2022
186,435
Feb 2, 2022
78,952
Feb 2, 2022
175,678
Feb 11, 2022
16,133
Feb 11, 2022
38,298
Feb 11, 2022
47,767
Feb 11, 2022
7,117
Feb 11, 2022
17,219
Feb 11, 2022
60,260
Feb 15, 2022
167,426
Feb 17, 2022
59,475
Feb 18, 2022
407,692
Feb 18, 2022
602,647
Feb 24, 2022
389,708
Feb 24, 2022
143,017
Feb 28, 2022
770,726
Feb 28, 2022
173,368
Mar 4, 2022
1,529,898
Mar 7, 2022
172,340
Mar 9, 2022
368,783
Mar 9, 2022
752,481
Mar 10, 2022
25,247
Mar 10, 2022
152,083
Mar 14, 2022
30,294
Mar 14, 2022
155,586
Mar 18, 2022
565,757
Mar 18, 2022
73,486
Mar 22, 2022
570,276
Mar 23, 2022
137,462
Mar 23, 2022
140,962
Mar 23, 2022
72,600
Mar 24, 2022
315,166
Mar 25, 2022
115,278
Mar 28, 2022
1,294,694
Mar 30, 2022
258,296
Apr 5, 2022
122,071
Apr 6, 2022
896,737
Apr 14, 2022
191,748
Apr 14, 2022
406,845
Apr 20, 2022
223,983
Apr 20, 2022
600,447
Apr 20, 2022
165,235
Apr 21, 2022
233,957
Apr 22, 2022
1,173,858
Apr 22, 2022
112,830
Apr 22, 2022
180,562
Apr 25, 2022
111,338
Apr 25, 2022
473,678
May 11, 2022
363,179
May 11, 2022
149,255
May 11, 2022
63,671
May 11, 2022
285,264
May 12, 2022
91,468
May 16, 2022
114,878
May 17, 2022
153,589
May 18, 2022
327,795
May 20, 2022
119,687
May 24, 2022
81,869
May 24, 2022
389,755
May 27, 2022
101,153
May 30, 2022
955,543
Jun 1, 2022
88,385
Jun 8, 2022
56,116
Jun 9, 2022
171,398
Jun 9, 2022
653,892
Jun 10, 2022
722,234
Jun 10, 2022
500,593
Jun 15, 2022
423,526
Jun 15, 2022
291,038
Jun 15, 2022
360,460
Jun 16, 2022
509,587
Jun 17, 2022
282,262
Jun 22, 2022
100,797
Jun 23, 2022
76,350
Jun 24, 2022
359,241
Jun 24, 2022
426,962
Jun 24, 2022
245,231
Jul 6, 2022
36,396
Jul 6, 2022
126,472
Jul 6, 2022
310,294
Jul 7, 2022
189,215
Jul 11, 2022

Building Safety Fund

Anne Clarke: How many grants have been made from this fund to date in London? Please provide a breakdown since the funds began, showing the size of grant and date of grant award.

The Mayor: As of 12 July 2022, 159 grant payments have been made from the Building Safety Fund totalling £183,305,223.
Please see table below for a breakdown.
Payment amount (£)
Date of payment authorisation
£167,267.00
15-Oct-20
£515,104.00
09-Dec-20
£571,988.00
07-Jan-21
£219,898.00
11-Jan-21
£1,764,874.00
13-Jan-21
£463,175.00
22-Jan-21
£455,989.00
27-Jan-21
£131,519.00
04-Feb-21
£628,330.00
12-Feb-21
£60,301.00
24-Feb-21
£323,825.00
24-Feb-21
£1,801,940.00
25-Feb-21
£465,657.00
25-Feb-21
£227,348.00
25-Feb-21
£274,178.00
25-Feb-21
£230,728.00
08-Mar-21
£479,823.00
10-Mar-21
£372,809.00
11-Mar-21
£398,934.00
17-Mar-21
£728,716.00
17-Mar-21
£88,023.00
30-Mar-21
£460,607.00
30-Mar-21
£347,273.00
06-Apr-21
£916,157.00
07-Apr-21
£207,214.00
08-Apr-21
£1,105,267.00
08-Apr-21
£944,089.00
14-Apr-21
£720,162.00
14-Apr-21
£235,571.00
16-Apr-21
£2,220,132.00
16-Apr-21
£1,083,674.00
19-Apr-21
£470,328.00
21-Apr-21
£292,957.00
21-Apr-21
£212,888.00
05-May-21
£80,956.00
07-May-21
£1,388,588.00
14-May-21
£1,798,652.00
19-May-21
£157,071.00
19-May-21
£246,495.00
24-May-21
£1,003,815.00
04-Jun-21
£228,782.00
08-Jun-21
£783,091.00
11-Jun-21
£91,918.00
15-Jun-21
£335,660.00
16-Jun-21
£170,400.00
21-Jun-21
£628,113.00
28-Jun-21
£162,337.00
28-Jun-21
£142,199.00
30-Jun-21
£1,132,684.00
08-Jul-21
£110,111.00
15-Jul-21
£375,402.00
23-Jul-21
£393,939.00
23-Jul-21
£267,276.00
27-Jul-21
£497,725.00
28-Jul-21
£495,864.00
28-Jul-21
£215,192.00
28-Jul-21
£472,520.00
28-Jul-21
£425,443.00
28-Jul-21
£100,000.00
04-Aug-21
£311,927.00
10-Aug-21
£314,659.00
11-Aug-21
£279,364.00
12-Aug-21
£1,427,461.00
17-Aug-21
£889,482.00
24-Aug-21
£606,617.00
24-Aug-21
£4,613,623.00
24-Aug-21
£2,369,705.00
15-Sep-21
£558,041.00
15-Sep-21
£288,281.00
20-Sep-21
£154,202.00
20-Sep-21
£1,051,044.00
23-Sep-21
£224,842.00
23-Sep-21
£159,707.00
24-Sep-21
£1,335,694.00
24-Sep-21
£655,880.00
29-Sep-21
£308,483.00
30-Sep-21
£1,458,594.00
30-Sep-21
£195,232.00
07-Oct-21
£407,506.00
11-Oct-21
£1,018,784.00
12-Oct-21
£200,867.00
19-Oct-21
£239,337.00
25-Oct-21
£513,355.00
25-Oct-21
£593,917.00
25-Oct-21
£691,702.00
28-Oct-21
£164,345.00
12-Nov-21
£439,053.00
16-Nov-21
£1,320,246.00
24-Nov-21
£1,575,865.00
30-Nov-21
£185,844.00
16-Dec-21
£1,551,058.00
17-Dec-21
£295,420.00
21-Dec-21
£739,070.00
21-Dec-21
£59,622.00
22-Dec-21
£1,569,995.00
05-Jan-22
£146,749.00
13-Jan-22
£97,038.00
20-Jan-22
£160,000.00
25-Jan-22
£521,530.00
27-Jan-22
£3,642,884.00
27-Jan-22
£86,666.00
28-Jan-22
£80,898.00
28-Jan-22
£7,864,134.00
31-Jan-22
£1,290,314.00
01-Feb-22
£3,702,761.00
04-Feb-22
£243,181.00
08-Feb-22
£35,000.00
09-Feb-22
£422,398.00
10-Feb-22
£5,496,083.00
11-Feb-22
£177,146.00
11-Feb-22
£1,106,062.00
11-Feb-22
£7,325,314.00
14-Feb-22
£1,325,606.00
17-Feb-22
£505,037.00
17-Feb-22
£3,006,012.00
23-Feb-22
£578,823.00
01-Mar-22
£154,053.00
01-Mar-22
£5,167,453.00
08-Mar-22
£285,828.00
08-Mar-22
£4,403,624.00
08-Mar-22
£1,532,694.00
28-Mar-22
£498,783.00
28-Mar-22
£385,473.00
29-Mar-22
£3,201,986.00
30-Mar-22
£225,061.00
30-Mar-22
£5,687,706.00
08-Apr-22
£1,074,558.00
26-Apr-22
£1,524,468.00
26-Apr-22
£3,551,666.00
04-May-22
£292,736.00
04-May-22
£5,651,558.00
04-May-22
£114,058.00
11-May-22
£588,418.00
12-May-22
£1,102,141.00
12-May-22
£3,123,299.00
17-May-22
£504,395.00
17-May-22
£268,920.00
17-May-22
£4,607,221.00
18-May-22
£137,312.00
18-May-22
£661,695.00
19-May-22
£611,340.00
23-May-22
£577,368.00
30-May-22
£161,991.00
30-May-22
£117,582.00
31-May-22
£213,871.00
06-Jun-22
£1,719,826.00
07-Jun-22
£88,767.00
07-Jun-22
£2,520,620.00
09-Jun-22
£415,505.00
14-Jun-22
£80,000.00
14-Jun-22
£207,395.00
15-Jun-22
£5,822,974.00
20-Jun-22
£978,652.00
20-Jun-22
£149,876.00
29-Jun-22
£18,912,220.00
29-Jun-22
£36,730.00
30-Jun-22
£1,211,522.00
04-Jul-22
£2,019,202.00
04-Jul-22
£4,841,238.00
06-Jul-22

Poliovirus in London

Joanne McCartney: Following the recent news that poliovirus has been detected in London’s sewage, how is the GLA supporting Health Service efforts to encourage Londoners to ensure they are up to date with polio vaccines?

The Mayor: I continue to meet regularly withLondon’sseniorNHS andpublic healthleaders from UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID).I am aware that UKHSA, working with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), has found poliovirus in sewage samples collected from the London Beckton Sewage Treatment Works.
Most of the UK population will be protected by vaccinations received in childhood, but in some communities with low vaccine coverage, individuals may be at risk.
UKHSA is working with the NHS and public health colleagues across the UK to ensure that parents are aware of their child’s vaccination status; and NHS is reaching out to parents of children aged under five in London who are not up-to-date with their polio vaccinations to invite them to get protected.
Investigations are still ongoing with UKHSA and MHRA. For now, I want to encourage all families with children under 5 to ensure they are re up to date with their polio vaccines to stay protected and I amplify these messages through my communication channels.

London's Markets (2)

Neil Garratt: How many market operators have accessed the Street Markets Toolkit?

The Mayor: My Street Markets Toolkit was produced to help local authority market operators and others with responsibilities for markets to make the most of limited resources to develop a robust case for investment by demonstrating the existing and potential impact of their market. Since its publication in 2019, the toolkit has been downloaded over 400 times.
Since publication the toolkit has informed the development and delivery of innovative markets proposals delivered through my Good Growth Fund and my High Streets for All Challenge. It has been referenced and shared across the market sector as a best practice resource for evidencing the positive impact of markets on places and communities across London. The toolkit is downloadable on the london.gov.uk website.

London's Markets (1)

Neil Garratt: Can you confirm the number of markets in London broken down by year since 2017?

The Mayor: Markets are licensed and managed at a local level and as such this level of data is not held by City Hall. However, my street markets mapping tool, developed in 2017, aims to provide an overview of the number and types of markets across London (MQ 2022/1224 and 2022/1445).
The data that informs the map relies on the sector ‘self-reporting’. This is an industry-standard approach also taken by the leading national market bodies. GLA officers are currently taking stock to optimise the functionality of the map and ensure that it continues to work as an effective tool for London.

Working from City Hall

Neil Garratt: You have encouraged staff to work from City Hall with more frequency. Therefore, can you please inform the Assembly as to how many days you, the Deputy Mayors and your political appointees have each worked from City Hall since 21st March 2022.

The Mayor: My Deputy Mayors, appointees and wider team all work from City Hall on a regular basis, as do I. We do not keep records of how many days team members have been in attendence at City Hall.

London Local Authority Network (1)

Emma Best: What has been the cost to date of the London Local Authority Network?

The Mayor: The London Local Authority Network for Care Leavers that we co-convene is based on a partnership approach that has enabled local authorities to share good practice and to improve the experiences of care leavers across the city. There is no direct funding allocation from the Mayor towards this work.

London Local Authority Network (2)

Emma Best: How many individual meetings have there been of the London Local Authority Network?

The Mayor: The London Local Authority Network for Care Leavers has held six webinar meetings since its creation in March 2021 with the topic of each webinar being driven by the local authority membership and their priorities.
The most recent webinar, on 16 June 2022, focussed on sharing best practice to support care leavers at university. This included speakers from the Care Leaver Covenant, Kingston University and Kings College London, and was co-chaired by care-experienced members of the London Children in Care Council who are currently studying at university.

London's Markets (4)

Neil Garratt: What has been the direct economic benefit to markets from the Good Growth Fund and High Streets for all Challenge?

The Mayor: Over the past five years, almost £20m of funding has been awarded through my Good Growth Fund to 12 innovative market-focused projects. In each place a bespoke package of interventions has been developed, including refurbishment of street markets, business training and support, branding and promotion, and public realm improvements.
My High Streets for All Challenge is supporting a further 12 projects with a markets focus with awards of between £120,000 and £320,000 (£2,250,000 combined value) to develop proposals that ensure that our high street and street markets can flourish and thrive as we emerge from the pandemic.
Through the funding agreement process, each project agrees a comprehensive set of outputs and metrics, to capture the ongoing impact of the funding and inform programme evaluation.

London's Markets (3)

Neil Garratt: What discussions have been had with the Government on updating licensing legislation relating to markets?

The Mayor: London Markets are licensed and managed at a local authority level. Securing any changes to licensing legislation requires resourcing and consensus across boroughs, which has not so far emerged. When the London Markets Board looked at this issue in 2019, it was agreed that in the absence of consensus, the most pragmatic way forward was to share good practice on how to operate effectively within the existing legislation.
However, I am keen to understand if this position has changed and through my London Markets Board will be working closely with the markets sector to agree a position going forward.

Academy Hubs Programme (4)

Emma Best: Can you define what constitutes an “entry level role” within the local health organisations associated with the North East London Health Care Partnership hub?

The Mayor: The Mayor’s Academies Programme (MAP) is designed to help address skills shortages in sectors key to London’s recovery from COVID-19, including health, and to support Londoners most affected by the pandemic into good work. For the purposes of the MAP health hubs, including the North East London Integrated Care System (ICS), an entry level role is defined as requiring a level 2 qualification, and includes roles such as health care support worker.

Resurgence of Dickensian Diseases in London

Krupesh Hirani: Do you share my concerns that the cost of living crisis in London and the delay to Government support will lead to a resurgence in Dickensian diseases such as malnutrition, rickets and scurvy?

The Mayor: The rate of inflation in the UK is now at a 40-year high, and it is estimated that 236,000 or 6.5% of London households could face food and energy bills greater than their disposable income in 2022-23. 1 in 7 Londoners (15%) reported that they were struggling financially in May.
The cost-of-living crisis could see a wide range of health issues impact Londoners. I’m concerned about the health consequences of not being able to afford enough to eat, or to eat healthily. I'm also concerned about a wider range of health implications such as not being able to heat your home, being unable to afford the rent or even becoming homeless. There is also the potential mental health consequences of these issues too.
That is why I have set up a new online Cost of Living Hub to help Londoners experiencing financial hardship.

ULEZ expansion

Anne Clarke: A resident who opposes the expansion of the ULEZ has written to me to ask the below question: “In the outer Greater London areas the annual pollutant mean concentrations of PM10, PM2.5, and N02, recorded by the London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (LAEI) 2019 are significantly lower than the legal limits set by the UK Air Quality Standard Regulations 2010. The recorded pollutant mean concentration levels are also significantly lower than the limits specified by the UK National Air Quality Objectives and those limits published by the LAEI themselves.” What is your response to this comment?

The Mayor: Despite improvements the London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory showed that around 8 per cent of roads in outer London did not meet legal limits in 2019, damaging the health of people who live along them or regularly use them. Legal limits are minimum standards – necessary, but not sufficient to protect the health of Londoners.
Last year the World Health Organisation recommended levels for pollution at around a quarter of existing UK legal limits for PM2.5 and NO2 and just over a third of legal limits for PM10. Nowhere in London meets these health-based standards.
In 2019 pollution contributed to the premature deaths of more than 4,000 Londoners, with the greatest number of deaths attributable to air pollution in outer London boroughs. Over half of the 500,000 Londoners that have asthma and are more vulnerable to the impacts of air pollution live in outer London. It is essential we take further action.

Agency Workers

Susan Hall: What are you doing to reduce the Met’s £262,000,000 spending on agency workers? Link: https://www.met.police.uk/SysSiteAssets/foi-media/metropolitan-police/pr...

The Mayor: The £262m quoted does not reflect historic Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) spend but is a 4-year pan-GLA contract.
The MPS operating model uses the flexibility of contingent labour to meet surges in demand and buy in specialist skills and capabilities, which is more cost effective than a permanent resource. Agency spend is managed by MPS business groups with executive oversight via Corporate Workforce Planning Board. This governance has delivered a 6.5% reduction in spend on agency workers between 2019 and 2021.

Climate advice for businesses and organisations

Zack Polanski: What advice have you given to London’s businesses and organisations on what they need to do to cut their climate emissions?

The Mayor: London’s businesses will play a vital role in reaching our net-zero by 2030 targets and I have launched a number of services to help businesses cut their emissions.
My London Business Hub has brought together a range of resources to support businesses to take action on climate. The Business Hub has part funded my Better Futures+ programme supporting 104 SMEs on their net zero Journey. My Business Climate Guidance, helps companies to identify and prioritise actions to reduce their emissions and I have also provided guidance at London.gov.uk on reducing commercial building energy consumption. Working in partnership with Sustainable Ventures, I have supported SMEs in launching, establishing, or communicating theirnet zero strategy.
Last month I launched the 2022 Business Climate Challenge which will directly support up to 250 London businesses to reduce their building emissions and energy consumption. I have also joined forces with business membership organisations in my retrofit ‘Call to Action’ calling on businesses to meet the UKGBC’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings Framework by 2030.

Fossil fuel-free City Hall (1)

Zack Polanski: Now that you have signed the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, what are you doing to further reduce the use of fossil fuels within the GLA?

The Mayor: This June, I was proud to sign the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, making London the largest city to join this global movement tackling the root cause of climate change- fossil fuel production. This goes hand in hand with my pathway for getting London to net-zero by 2030.
I am determined that the GLA group will lead by example in achieving net-zero. The GLA’s functional bodies are accelerating action to decarbonise our estate and fleet and move away from fossil fuels to clean and renewable sources of energy. Last month TfL launched a tender for a Power Purchase Agreement to supply 10% of its electrical demand as the first phase of its ambition to be supplied by 100% renewable energy by 2030.

Timetable for power purchase agreements

Zack Polanski: What is the current timetable for the power purchase agreements that the GLA is working towards in the GLA Energy Procurement Collaboration Programme?

The Mayor: TfL launched their first Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) procurement in June. This procurement is scheduled to take 13 months, with renewable power being delivered 12-36 months after contract signature depending on construction timelines. This covers 10% of TFL’s electricity use with further procurement to cover greater proportions of the organisation’s energy use in future.
In parallel, we have established an Energy Collaboration programme to enable other GLA Group parties to participate in future PPA procurements.
To avoid distortions in the market, no two GLA PPA procurement processes should be live in the market at any one time. The next PPA procurement will therefore aim to launch shortly after the TfL PPA contract has been awarded and signed. This will incorporate learnings from the first procurement.
A series of PPA procurement rounds would then follow that would aim to deliver clean power across the GLA’s functional bodies by 2030 in line with the Mayor’s Net Zero ambition.

GLA work on climate goals

Zack Polanski: What has been the contribution of each part of the GLA to your climate goals since your election?

The Mayor: I am committed to demonstrating leadership on climate action in London and that starts with the GLA Group. Measures to reduce emissions are set out in each of GLA Group organisations’ business plans and budgets. All functional bodies are working to meet my net-zero by 2030 target.

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) Targets (2)

Leonie Cooper: What discussions are you having with London’s councils about how to reduce levels of NO2 across the city?

The Mayor: Please see my response to 2022/2410.

Parklets in London (2)

Leonie Cooper: What opportunities does increasing London’s provision of parklets offer for improving London’s biodiversity?

The Mayor: Well designed and located parklets offer the opportunity to help create ‘stepping stones’ of high-quality habitat for species such as bees. Parklets can also offer a resting place and help bring people closer to nature. The design of parklets varies by type and location. Where possible it’s good if they can include big planters to grow large plants, and if they can capture rainwater.
There are good examples across London of parklets supporting wildlife. Monitoring by the Wild West End partnership has shown that parklets and pocket parks with pollinator friendly and climbing plants can be especially valuable for nature. Kingston Council have recently introduced their Bio-Beds project which aims to repurpose large planters in public spaces to be pollinator friendly features full of flowers and food plants for their larvae. I would encourage anyone interested in designing parklets to encourage wildlife to look to these projects for inspiration.

PM2.5 Targets (4)

Leonie Cooper: The Government has committed to a 35 per cent reduction in population exposure to fine particulate matter compared with 2018 by 2040. What action has the Government taken to support this happening in London?

The Mayor: The target proposed by the Government is similar in concept to the exposure reduction target that was in force between 2010 and 2020, where little to no action was taken by UK Government in response to that target.
In the recent Government consultation on environmental targets, the Government did not consider separate action to meet the population exposure target as distinct from the annual mean target, indicating that it could be simply a different way of counting the same end point and not an additional goal.
I have been clear in my response to the Government consultation (https://www.london.gov.uk/WHAT-WE-DO/environment/environment-publications/consultation-response-new-government-environmental-targets) that the proposed population exposure target in its present form is deeply flawed. I believe a set of regional “exposure reduction” targets would better incentivise each region to improve background concentrations locally and provide an effective structure to activate the Local Air Quality Management framework in the service of exposure reduction.

PM2.5 Targets (3)

Leonie Cooper: How are you working with London’s councils to reduce PM2.5 levels across the city?

The Mayor: Improving air quality requires collaborative and well co-ordinated action across the city. The GLA works closely with London’s Boroughs through a range of formal and informal mechanisms, including the London Local Air Quality Management Framework, funding of individual and collaborative projects through my Mayor’s Air Quality Fund and convening projects such as the NRMM enforcement team and the wood burning working group.
Delivery of large-scale projects, especially programmes like the Ultra-Low-Emission Zone and transport projects, require active collaboration between the GLA, TfL and the Boroughs.

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) Targets (1)

Leonie Cooper: The Department for Transport (DfT) has a responsibility for policy measures to reduce air pollution, particularly Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2). What discussions have you had with the DfT regarding Government plans to reduce levels of NO2?

The Mayor: My GLA and TfL officers meet regularly with DfT officials to discuss the actions needed to reduce air pollution, including Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), as they do with other government departments with critical roles in reducing pollution, such as DEFRA and BEIS. While some progress has been made in some specific areas, for example in relation to electric vehicle charging infrastructure, I am disappointed by the lack of ambition and effective action from Government.
It is also disappointing that the Government continues to fail to support the action I am taking. I have repeatedly called for a national scrappage scheme to support cities like London in implementing Clean Air Zones like the ULEZ. I have set out how investing in the electrification of London’s bus fleet would secure jobs across the UK, yet Government still refuses to allocate any of its funding for this to London.

PM2.5 Targets (5)

Leonie Cooper: What additional powers does London need in order to reduce PM2.5 levels and what reduction in PM2.5 is anticipated if these powers are devolved to you?

The Mayor: The WHO target of 5 µg/m3 for PM2.5 is challenging and it is likely that powers will be needed to control all sources to achieve it, including powers to control emissions from Non-Road Mobile Machinery and other engines, powers to control emissions from solid fuel burning such as domestic wood burning and commercial cooking, and improved control of industry. Powers to control emissions of pre-cursor substances may also be needed.
Any powers, for the Mayor of London, boroughs or others, will need to be matched by the resources, including funding, needed to incentivise and enforce change.
We have seen from the success of the ULEZ that effective powers well deployed can achieve large reductions – for instance over a 40 per cent reduction in NO2 concentrations in central London very rapidly. Sufficiently well-designed powers should enable similar approach to be taken to PM2.5 emissions reductions.

Jacobs Project Representative reports

Caroline Pidgeon: Further to your answer to question 2021/4043, please state whether there are now plans to remove the redactions from the Jacobs Project Representative reports?

The Mayor: Transport for London and Crossrail remain fully focused on delivering the critical remaining stages of the Elizabeth line, including high-frequency services and through-running from east to west. In light of this, and the remaining commercial sensitivities around the project, full consideration will be given to this matter in 2023.

Organisations Receiving Additional Domestic Abuse Funding

Caroline Pidgeon: Please outline which organisations have received funding from the additional £11.3 million investment in specialist services for victims of domestic abuse you announced in March 2022?

The Mayor: Please see list of organisations in the table below. Please note that the total funding allocated is higher than the £11.3m announced in March.
Name of lead organisations
Service
Allocation
Advance Advocacy and Non-Violence Community Education
Pathway support service
£1,249,850.00
Ashiana Network
Refuge based service
£129,085.00
Ashiana Network
Mental health support
£67,821.00
Asian Women's Resource Centre(partnership)
Support for survivors experiencing multiple disadvantage
£697,835.00
Barnet Homes Ltd
Outreach support service
£244,584.00
Bexley Women's Aid
Outreach support service
£64,800.00
Bromley and Croydon Women's Aid
Refuge based service
£208,560.00
EACH Counselling & Support
Outreach support service
£361,005.00
East European Resource Centre (EERC)
Advocacy support service
£306,667.00
Housing For Women
Outreach support service
£109,457.00
Housing For Women
Outreach support service
£342,675.00
IKWRO – Women’s Rights Organisation
Refuge-based service
£122,640.00
Kanlungan Filipino Consortium
Refuge-based service
£136,113.00
Kiran Support Services
Immigration and Advocacy support service
£56,122.00
L&Q (EAST) Living Limited
Advocacy support service
£95,799.00
Latin American Women’s Aid Refuge
Refuge-based service
£290,034.00
Latin American Women’s Aid Refuge (OYA)
Outreach support service
£819,046.00
Latin American Women’s Aid Refuge (OYA)
Counselling service
£328,813.00
London Borough of Bexley
Pathway support service
£222,442.00
London Borough of Camden
Pathway support service
£330,051.00
London Borough of Lambeth
Pathway support service
£137,431.00
London Borough of Lambeth
Pathway support service
£68,654.00
London Borough of Redbridge
Pathway support service
£259,525.00
London Borough of Waltham Forest
Pathway support service
£69,903.00
Look Ahead Care and Support Ltd
Advocacy support service
£78,726.00
Refuge
Refuge-based service
£709,331.00
Refuge
Refuge-based service
£216,536.00
Refuge
Refuge-based service
£94,307.00
Refuge
Refuge-based service
£153,210.00
Refuge (LVAWG consortium)
Outreach support service
£1,304,567.00
Richmond and Wandsworth Borough Councils
Pathway support service
£63,971.00
Sister System
Outreach support service
£118,164.00
Solace Women's Aid
Refuge-based service
£584,381.00
St Mungo's Community Housing Association
Pathway support service
£198,126.00
Standing Together Against Domestic Violence
DAHA accreditation framework
£63,863.00
Stonewall Housing Association
Outreach support service
£293,242.00
The Nia Project
Refuge-based service
£422,021.00
Victim Support
Refuge-based service
£162,857.00
Woman's Aid Federation of England
Pathway support service
£195,229.00
Young Ladies Club
Outreach support service
£179,368.00
TOTAL
£11,556,811.00

The Mayor: Please see list of organisations in the table below. Please note that the total funding allocated is higher than the £11.3m announced in March.
Name of lead organisations
Service
Allocation
Advance Advocacy and Non-Violence Community Education
Pathway support service
£1,249,850.00
Ashiana Network
Refuge based service
£129,085.00
Ashiana Network
Mental health support
£67,821.00
Asian Women's Resource Centre(partnership)
Support for survivors experiencing multiple disadvantage
£697,835.00
Barnet Homes Ltd
Outreach support service
£244,584.00
Bexley Women's Aid
Outreach support service
£64,800.00
Bromley and Croydon Women's Aid
Refuge based service
£208,560.00
EACH Counselling & Support
Outreach support service
£361,005.00
East European Resource Centre (EERC)
Advocacy support service
£306,667.00
Housing For Women
Outreach support service
£109,457.00
Housing For Women
Outreach support service
£342,675.00
IKWRO – Women’s Rights Organisation
Refuge-based service
£122,640.00
Kanlungan Filipino Consortium
Refuge-based service
£136,113.00
Kiran Support Services
Immigration and Advocacy support service
£56,122.00
L&Q (EAST) Living Limited
Advocacy support service
£95,799.00
Latin American Women’s Aid Refuge
Refuge-based service
£290,034.00
Latin American Women’s Aid Refuge (OYA)
Outreach support service
£819,046.00
Latin American Women’s Aid Refuge (OYA)
Counselling service
£328,813.00
London Borough of Bexley
Pathway support service
£222,442.00
London Borough of Camden
Pathway support service
£330,051.00
London Borough of Lambeth
Pathway support service
£137,431.00
London Borough of Lambeth
Pathway support service
£68,654.00
London Borough of Redbridge
Pathway support service
£259,525.00
London Borough of Waltham Forest
Pathway support service
£69,903.00
Look Ahead Care and Support Ltd
Advocacy support service
£78,726.00
Refuge
Refuge-based service
£709,331.00
Refuge
Refuge-based service
£216,536.00
Refuge
Refuge-based service
£94,307.00
Refuge
Refuge-based service
£153,210.00
Refuge (LVAWG consortium)
Outreach support service
£1,304,567.00
Richmond and Wandsworth Borough Councils
Pathway support service
£63,971.00
Sister System
Outreach support service
£118,164.00
Solace Women's Aid
Refuge-based service
£584,381.00
St Mungo's Community Housing Association
Pathway support service
£198,126.00
Standing Together Against Domestic Violence
DAHA accreditation framework
£63,863.00
Stonewall Housing Association
Outreach support service
£293,242.00
The Nia Project
Refuge-based service
£422,021.00
Victim Support
Refuge-based service
£162,857.00
Woman's Aid Federation of England
Pathway support service
£195,229.00
Young Ladies Club
Outreach support service
£179,368.00
TOTAL
£11,556,811.00

Climate Kick-Start (3)

Neil Garratt: Can you outline the cost of producing the ‘green careers’ toolkit as part of the Climate Kick-Start campaign?

The Mayor: The Climate Kick-Start programme is jointly funded by the Greater London Authority, Environment and Energy Unit and Bloomberg Corporate Philanthropy, where match funding has been agreed in principle. The Bloomberg funding covers the Climate Kick-Start Prizegiving event plus an additional £50,000, enough to cover the five Climate Kick-Start Prizes for 2022.
The five prizes will fund projects co-designed and delivered by students over the following year, giving them practical experience of designing and implementing environmental solutions to help prepare them for their future career.
In the long term, this will create a generation of Londoners engaged with green careers and help to fill a vital skills gap in the green and clean sector career pipelines.

Specialised Accommodation (1)

Sem Moema: What support are you providing to councils and housing associations in London to help them provide more specialised accommodation? For example, schemes such as the Ekaya Housing Association’s supported housing which provides accommodation for pregnant women and new mothers.

The Mayor: I am supporting the delivery of specialised housing through my policies and planning requirements, by lobbying the government for more support for specialist housing and through my funding programmes. These include my Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme and Move On Programme (which provide both capital for move on homes and revenue for support, for former rough sleepers and, for the latter, victims of domestic abuse), my Care and Support Specialised Housing Programme for older and disabled Londoners, my Homelessness Change and Platform for Life programmes (for the refurbishment of hostels and refuges) and my Affordable Homes Programmes. I have also recently launched a new Land for Council Homes Revenue Fund, and specifically encourage council bids to look at sites for specialist and supported housing.

Climate Kick-Start (1)

Neil Garratt: Can you tell the Assembly how will you fund the £50,000 award for five schools as part of the Climate Kick-Start campaign?

The Mayor: The Climate Kick-Start programme is jointly funded by the Greater London Authority, Environment and Energy Unit and Bloomberg Corporate Philanthropy, where match funding has been agreed in principle. The Bloomberg funding covers the Climate Kick-Start Prizegiving event plus an additional £50,000, enough to cover the five Climate Kick-Start Prizes for 2022.
The five prizes will fund projects co-designed and delivered by students over the following year, giving them practical experience of designing and implementing environmental solutions to help prepare them for their future career.
In the long term, this will create a generation of Londoners engaged with green careers and help to fill a vital skills gap in the green and clean sector career pipelines.

Housing Delivery (3)

Sem Moema: How is the GLA’s new Head of Housing Delivery planning to work on housing delivery for the GLA Group? What updates are you able to give us three months on from the start of her taking on the new role?

The Mayor: The Senior Professional Lead (SPL) for housing delivery has set out a programme of work to deep dive into the current working practices of the GLA Group and to understand how the different functional bodies contribute to housing delivery. This work builds on the recommendations of Lord Kerslake’s review and looks at the lessons to be learnt from good practice across the GLA Group, identifying where there is need for greater focus and collaboration to achieve better housing outcomes. She has established a clear set of actions to enact the recommendations and is using expertise from across the GLA Group to ensure that changes that are made are embedded across the Group.
The SPL presented to the Homes for Londoners Board in June and secured approval for the establishment of a GLA Group Housing Delivery subcommittee. The subcommittee will focus on the delivery of housing on the GLA Group land specifically. It will provide the opportunity for the GLA Group to collaborate with other significant stakeholders to ensure that housing delivery is optimised across London in line with the Statement of Shared Policy signed by all GLA Group members

Let’s Do London (2)

Neil Garratt: Please breakdown the TV, radio and social media spending per region for the latest stage of the Let’s Do London campaign.

The Mayor: TV, radio and social media spend across the Let’s Do London campaign target regions is not fixed and is instead continually adjusted based on which regional audiences are most engaged.
Regions are targeted according to the criteria below to ascertain those most likely to deliver overall additional visitor spend for London, with Scotland, West Midlands and East receiving overall 60% spend and North West, Yorkshire, East Midlands and South West receiving 40%.
Spend across channels is based on independent media agency advice and using the Let’s Do London 2021 domestic performance.

Holiday lets and housing supply

Emma Best: In light of the recent 2021 Census results and reports of the implications of the growth of holiday lets for local housing supply:

Will you say:
• what has been the scale of increase in holiday lets by borough over the last 5 years,
• the number of net additional homes created over the same period,
• what this means for housing supply,
• what measures can be taken to stem the loss of housing to visitor accommodation, and
• what representations you have made to the Government to tackle this problem?

The Mayor: The GLA does not track holiday lets at the borough level. Current rules, set by the government, allow the letting of a home as a holiday let for up to 90 days a year without applying for a change of use. Homeowners wishing to let homes for longer must apply to their local planning authority.
Since 2019 I have called for a registration scheme for short-term lets, which would provide better information on trends in London. The government has opened a call for evidence on further policy intervention and my housing team is preparing a response.
The net additional homes created over the past five years is 186,000, as shown in Table 122 of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ live tables on dwelling stock.
Short term lets have benefits and challenges for Londoners. If properly enforced, the 90-night limit on short term lets removes the economic incentives to let homes on a short-term basis rather than using them to provide long-term homes. However, local authorities currently lack the data and resources to properly enforce this rule. A register will support local authorities to enforce this rule and identify properties breaching the limit.

No Calorie Menu Options

Caroline Pidgeon: Will you actively support efforts to ensure that menus without calorie-labelling are available and promoted in all restaurants and take-away venues in London?

The Mayor: The calorie labelling measures, which came into force in April 2022, form part of the Government’s wider strategy to tackle obesity and aim to help people make more informed, healthier choices when eating out or ordering takeaways. The measure applies to large food businesses with 250 employees or more.
I am pleased to note that the regulations include a provision which allows businesses to provide a menu without calorie information at the request of the customer.
I have written to Caroline Pidgeon about the issue of calorie labelling.

Maternal health (6)

Emma Best: Can you tell us how many additional midwives you believe should be recruited into London's NHS Trusts?

The Mayor: We are still awaiting the Government’s long anticipated workforce plan for the NHS in England, which we understand should be published by the end of the year. We hoped this would include data on workforce requirements by specialty and provide a gap analysis to inform training plans. However, the previous Secretary of State for Health and Social Care told the Health and Social Care Committee on 7 June that while he would like to see the document published in full, he could only guarantee that its conclusions would be published.
As you know, I have no powers or responsibilities for the commissioning or provision of health or care services. My officers have asked the NHS for a response, which they will pass on when they receive it. I would expect London’s Trusts to recruit to all vacant posts and at the level they deem safe and appropriate.

Welsh Government ‘Buy-Out’ Scheme for Homes Affected by the Building Safety Crisis

Hina Bokhari: The Welsh Government has recently launched a scheme that will offer to buy homes from leaseholders struggling to sell properties or facing financial difficulties. Is this something you support, and would you like to see something similar available to Londoners impacted by the Building Safety Crisis?

The Mayor: Leaseholders are right to demand protection from remediation costs and I am very aware that in many cases, slow and uncertain remediation has left people trapped in homes that they would like to sell.
The GLA is not in a position to replicate a scheme such as this in London. This is for two reasons. First, as I have noted in the past, the fundingI receivefrom central government is primarily to support the supply of new homes in order to respond to the increasingly severe housing crisis. I cannot divert it to meet other objectives not agreed by government. Second, the scale of the building safety crisis in London is comparatively larger than that in other parts of the UK. An acquisition programme in London would be under significantly greater demand and with higher individual costs for purchases. The GLA does not have the financial resources to meet this level of demand. The government’s approach to building safety has already been criticised for arbitrarily helping some leaseholders and not others and I do not wish to create a scheme that replicates those errors.
I recognise that many leaseholders feel that their lives are on hold. This is why I published the External Wall System (EWS1) Best Practice Guidance, to encourage landlords to better support those unable to sell their properties. I will continue to lobby government for further financial support for leaseholders, in particular so those not covered by the protections in the Building Safety Act are considered in future schemes.

Maternal health (4)

Emma Best: What meetings has the Deputy Mayor for Children and Families had with groups campaigning for better maternal health outcomes?

The Mayor: I meet regularly with London’s NHS leaders to champion and challenge them to provide high quality services for all Londoners, including maternal health services. I am also aware of the government’s recently launched Maternity Disparities Taskforce and will follow this work closely.
One of the key aims of my Health Inequalities Strategy focuses on ensuring every London child has a healthy start in life. Maternal health is supported through my Healthy Early Years London programme, which reaches out to new and expectant mothers.
My Deputy Mayor for Children and Families regularly meets with stakeholders who advocate on behalf of Londoners. Though, to date, in her new role this has not included any specific group campaigning for better maternal health outcomes, my Deputy Mayor looks forward to the publication of the Health Committee’s report on maternal health. She – and my Health and Children and Young Londoners team – would be happy to discuss the committee’s findings with organisations campaigning for better maternal health outcomes.

Knife Crime

Shaun Bailey: What are you doing to ensure knife crime does not return to pre-pandemic levels?

The Mayor: We’ve been tackling violent crime head on by being both tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime. This approach has resulted in violence falling since before the pandemic, with knife crime down 13 per cent in the 12 months to February 2020 – and we continue to see progress, with knife crime, gun crime and homicides all down.
I’ve invested record amounts in the MPS from City Hall, putting 1,300 more officers on our streets to help suppress violence in local communities.
But enforcement only suppresses violence – and we know the complex causes include poverty, deprivation, and inequality.
I set up London’s Violence Reduction Unit to pioneer a partnership approach to tackling violence that is rooted in prevention and early intervention.
We are investing in positive opportunities for 100,000 young Londoners from some of the capital’s most disadvantaged communities.
The VRU has developed support networks to train and upskill parents to better nurture and protect young people, invested in support for children as they prepare to move from primary to secondary school, and funded after-school activities for nearly 2,500 young people.
And now the VRU is investing an additional £9 million to build on its flagship community-led programme, MyEnds, which is delivered in eight neighbourhoods affected by violence. In its first year, 120 local interventions were delivered, benefitting more than 3,100 young people and community members.
This investment in communities helps to prevent crime from occurring in the first place, so it works hand-in-hand with MPS enforcement to keep our city safe.

Maternal health (2)

Emma Best: The Health Inequalities Strategy Implementation Plan 2021-24, Early Years in London Report and the London Health Inequalities Strategy have barely any reference to maternal health. Is there a possibility of incorporating specific data and policies relating to maternal health outcomes in future health reports and strategies of the Mayor?

The Mayor: My Health Adviser recently attended a session with the Health Committee to discuss maternal health in London. Through my strategies I seek to create a healthier, fairer city, which will benefit all Londoners including parents and their children.
My work around mental wellbeing, inequalities , child obesity, breast feeding and improving accessibility and uptake of healthy start vouchers a are particularly relevant to maternal health. My work on early years also includes the pilot at the Wandle Early Years Hub which included support for parental social, emotional and mental health and healthy early years award scheme
My Health Adviser has committed to raising the findings of the Assembly's forthcoming survey on maternal health with the NHS, and I will also consider any further actions that are within my powers.

Maternal health (1)

Emma Best: Your Health Academy Hubs aim to train Londoners to enter the work place in an “entry level role”. Can you please tell us how many of those completing training in the Health Academy Hubs have gone onto become fully qualified Midwives?

The Mayor: The Mayor’s Academies Programme (MAP) is designed to help address skills shortages in sectors key to London’s recovery, including health, and to support Londoners most affected by the pandemic into good work. For the purposes of the MAP health hubs, an entry level role is defined as one requiring a level 2 qualification and includes roles such as health care support worker. Midwifery is not included in the entry level role definition as it requires a degree level qualification.

Academy Hubs Programme (13)

Emma Best: What is the pass rate for those undertaking training within the North West London Health Care Partnership hubs?

The Mayor: The Mayor’s Academies Programme (MAP) is designed to help address skills shortages in sectors key to London’s COVID-19 recovery, including health, and to support Londoners most affected by the pandemic into good work. It is providing funding for the coordination and collaboration of training providers and employers through hub partnerships. Each hub will deliver the following:
The hubs are currently rolling out delivery, with progress on their first full quarter of activity due to be reported at the end of July 2022. .

Academy Hubs Programme (12)

Emma Best: Can you define what constitutes an “entry level role” within the local health organisations associated with the North West London Health Care Partnership hub.

The Mayor: The Mayor’s Academies Programme (MAP) is designed to help address skills shortages in sectors key to London’s COVID-19 recovery, including health, and to support Londoners most affected by the pandemic into good work. For the purposes of the MAP health hubs, including the North West London Integrated Care System (ICS), an entry level role is defined as one requiring a level 2 qualification and includes roles such as health care support worker.

Santander Cycle Stations in Lambeth and Southwark

Marina Ahmad: What steps will you take to extend Santander Cycle Stations throughout Lambeth and Southwark? What plans do you have to extend Santander Cycle Stations further south? The southward extension of Santander Bikes will greatly benefit Lambeth and Southwark residents, community groups, and businesses.

The Mayor: Working with the London Borough of Southwark, Transport for London (TfL) will add seven new docking stations along Cycleway 4 as part of a joint initiative with the Borough. This will provide approximately 200 docking points in the borough.
TfL is always looking to discuss options around expand the scheme where it is practical, beneficial to the schemes objectives and economically viable to do so, and welcomes the opportunity to discuss funding options with all boroughs.

PM2.5 Targets (1)

Leonie Cooper: What discussion have you had with Government regarding the new legal targets for PM2.5 due to be set this autumn?

The Mayor: My officers have taken every opportunity to work with the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) as they develop new targets for PM2.5, this includes providing them with detailed technical information on London’s experience.
The evidence I have shared with Government shows that we could meet the proposed target level in London a full ten years earlier than the Government is proposing. Government’s target is set so far into the future that it consigns yet another generation of children to these lifelong health effects of early exposure to excess air pollution. There is now an opportunity for Government to review the targets before they are adopted. I urge them in the strongest possible terms to put this opportunity to use and place the UK where it should be: at the forefront of international efforts to eradicate pollution, protect public health, reduce health inequalities and restore our environment.

PM2.5 Targets (2)

Leonie Cooper: You have described the targets currently being consulted on as deeply unambitious. What targets would you like to be set for London?

The Mayor: Whilst the setting of targets should never be seen as an end in and of itself, well designed ambitious targets can make a huge difference in protecting our environment and human health from the consequences of pollution.
In my recent response to the Government consultation on new Environmental targets (https://www.london.gov.uk/WHAT-WE-DO/environment/environment-publications/consultation-response-new-government-environmental-targets) I recommended that the Government adopt at least the following three targets:
The first setting a target of 10 micrograms per cubic metre(µg/m-3) annual mean PM2.5 to be met across England by 2030.
The second a longer-term target of meeting 5 micrograms per cubic metre(µg/m3) annual mean PM2.5 to be met across England, with the date set as soon as possible.
Finally, because the World Health Organization also recommended tighter standards for other pollutants as well, a third target for nitrogen dioxide based on meeting the 10 micrograms per cubic metre annual mean, as soon as possible.

The Mayor: Whilst the setting of targets should never be seen as an end in and of itself, well designed ambitious targets can make a huge difference in protecting our environment and human health from the consequences of pollution.
In my recent response to the Government consultation on new Environmental targets (https://www.london.gov.uk/WHAT-WE-DO/environment/environment-publications/consultation-response-new-government-environmental-targets) I recommended that the Government adopt at least the following three targets:
The first setting a target of 10 micrograms per cubic metre(µg/m-3) annual mean PM2.5 to be met across England by 2030.
The second a longer-term target of meeting 5 micrograms per cubic metre(µg/m3) annual mean PM2.5 to be met across England, with the date set as soon as possible.
Finally, because the World Health Organization also recommended tighter standards for other pollutants as well, a third target for nitrogen dioxide based on meeting the 10 micrograms per cubic metre annual mean, as soon as possible.

Air Quality Information (5)

Leonie Cooper: What more information or data would you like to see being provided so that Londoners can make informed choices about how they can reduce air pollution levels in London?

The Mayor: I would like to see air quality advice and information displayed more consistently across weather and news reports, especially when pollution is elevated. My air quality alerts service helps to facilitate this by providing media notifications when pollution is forecast to be high. However, I believe a stronger role needs to be played by national Government in providing consistent information across the country, and this is something I continue to lobby for.
I would also like to see more targeted advice being provided to vulnerable people by health professionals in London, and this is something I am currently working with colleagues across London’s health and care system to explore. However, this also requires Government leadership and national support from the relevant professional organisations to ensure this issue is prioritised and appropriately resourced.

Academy Hubs Programme (7)

Emma Best: Please provide the total cost for the NHS South West London Clinical Commissioning Group cluster of hubs.

The Mayor: The Mayor’s Academies Programme (MAP) is designed to help address skills shortages in sectors key to London’s COVID-19 recovery, including health, and to support Londoners most affected by the pandemic into good work. The MAP health hub in the South West London Integrated Care System (ICS) is receiving £250,000 to fund coordination resource across sub-region.

Air Quality Information (3)

Leonie Cooper: Do you think that Londoners understand how air quality across the city can be improved?

The Mayor: Since first being elected I have made tackling and raising awareness of air pollution a priority and polling consistently shows that over three quarters of Londoners see air pollution as a problem in London. This high awareness is mainly due to initiatives outlined in the answer to MQ 2022/2402. However, there is always more to be done and I am determined to provide the best information possible. This is why officers are currently undertaking a review of my alerts system, including message testing and exploring additional methods to increase its reach, including through dissemination to GPs.

GLA Group Public Health Unit

Krupesh Hirani: It has been positive to see the launch of the new GLA Group Public Health Unit to tackle the deep health inequalities we have seen coming out of the pandemic. Can you provide an outline of what its immediate priorities will be?

The Mayor: I am pleased to say the new Unit was established on 1 April and will work to support the GLA Group to play our part in full in tackling health inequalities in London.
The Unit has embarked on a mobilisation programme and has provided regular reports to the Collaboration Board which oversees progress. Recruitment to new posts went live in May 2022 and all new positions are expected to be filled in the Autumn. In the meantime the Unit continues to progress existing commitments like air quality, homelessness, and violence reduction.
The first Group Public Health Forum was held on 20 July 2022. This brings together all of the GLA Group organisations to understand public health priorities in London and the roles the GLA Group can play in addressing these. It will support the Unit to prioritise risks and opportunities to improve health and tackle health inequalities in London.
The Unit will also be work with Group organisations to identify how best to embed a health in all policies approach across their work.
Work continues to support the COVID response and other health protection priorities in London, and the Unit liaises with other agencies, such as the Office for Health Inequalities and Disparities and the NHS to achieve this.

Air Quality Information (1)

Leonie Cooper: The National Audit Office recently warned that the Government is not effectively warning the public about its performance in improving air pollution. Do you think Londoners have enough information regarding air quality in the city?

The Mayor: I agree that Government needs to do more to communicate the serious health risks of pollution and the action needed to tackle it. The scale of the challenge means that national leadership is needed alongside local and regional action.
I have delivered and supported a range of initiatives to educate Londoners on air pollution and provide access to data and other resources. I have funded regular awareness campaigns to inform Londoners of the dangers of air pollution. I regularly commission and publicise ground-breaking research which is used to raise awareness of the health impacts of pollution and the need for action.
To provide information directly to Londoners I created the Mayor’s Air Quality alerts system, supported the Idling Action campaign and piloted and recently expanded the Breathe London hyper-local monitoring project and associated website. I will continue to take opportunities to raise awareness and enhance the availability of data wherever possible.

Air Quality Information (2)

Leonie Cooper: What steps have you taken to ensure that data on London’s air quality is easy to locate and to understand?

The Mayor: I created the Breathe London website which displays all the data from the network’s 350 low-cost, hyper-local sensors via a colour coded interactive map. On this website, for the first time, I have also brought together all the data from London’s reference-level Local Authority funded monitors onto one location. The Breathe London website now displays all the data from the two different monitoring service providers that boroughs use (previously this data was split across the two provider’s websites). Breathe London is available here: https://www.breathelondon.org/.
The Breathe London information is provided in addition to the more technical mapping and modelling that I provide through the London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (LAEI), which helps shape policy and interventions by London’s decision-makers. The LAEI is available here: https://data.london.gov.uk/air-quality/.

20mph Speed Limit and Air Pollution

Leonie Cooper: What analysis has been made of possible improvements to air quality as a result of reducing speed limits to 20 mph in London?

The Mayor: Lowering traffic speeds reduces the dominance of motor vehicles and makes our streets safer, more inviting, less polluted and more attractive for walking, cycling and public transport trips. This is essential for ensuring we increase active and sustainable travel in London.
An evaluation of 20mph zones in London, carried out by Imperial College, showed slowing traffic had no net negative impact on exhaust emissions. However, in 20mph zones vehicles moved more smoothly, with fewer accelerations and decelerations, than in 30mph zones. This smoother driving style reduces particulate emissions from tyre and brake wear - which still represents a significant cause of air pollution from zero-emission vehicles.
Further evidence of the impact of vehicle speed on emissions and health is set out in Transport for London’s (2018) Speed Emissions & Health evidence summary available at: http://content.tfl.gov.uk/speed-emissions-and-health.pdf

Flash Flooding Awareness (2)

Hina Bokhari: In addition to writing to 45,000 basement properties to urgently raise awareness and help them prepare in the event of a flood, how are you making use of the wide-ranging variety of communication channels available to you as Mayor to reach as many potentially vulnerable and at risk Londoners as possible?

The Mayor: I am using all means at my disposal to ensure Londoners are prepared for this serious risk including social and written media, convening partners to have clear messaging, and directly working with vulnerable groups.
I am working with various community and faith groups across London to engage vulnerable Londoners on climate adaptation, including flash floods. In July, officers presented on flooding and heatwaves to the London Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Emergencies Partnership, made up of local and national voluntary and community organisations.
My officers are also working with the borough faith network to facilitate a workshop on flooding and heatwaves. The GLA Urban Resilience and Equalities Team are connecting the Environment Team to other representative groups including Inclusion London who represent deaf, disabled and neurodiverse Londoners to determine the best way to reach these groups.
In addition, I have been working with boroughs to update and align their flooding webpages to provide the public better and more consistent information about what to do in a flood. This was a recommendation of my Flooding Roundtable, convened to address flood risk in London.

Air Quality Information (4)

Leonie Cooper: Is air quality data broken down to local levels that allow Londoners to see how their area is affected? What more can be done to help Londoners understand how local air pollution impacts on them?

The Mayor: Air quality data is provided at the local level on the Breathe London website, through the London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory,and there is further modelled mapping available on Imperial College London’s website. These sites provide easily navigable information for Londoners alongside information and advice. GLA officers are also currently delivering a project to review and enhance my air quality alerts service.

London's Markets (5)

Neil Garratt: Are there estimates on whether the Good Growth Fund and High Street for all Challenge have increased footfall to markets?

The Mayor: Are there estimated on whether the Good Growth Fund and High Streets for all Challenge have increased footfall to markets?
The collection of evidence on project performance and impact is an integral part of the project assessment and delivery process across my regeneration funding programmes, and all markets projects funded by the Good Growth Fund and High Streets for All Challenge have identified a set of indicators against which performance can be tracked.
Metrics are agreed within the strategic themes of each fund and reflect local context, targeting specific issues and contributing to the successful evolution of their locality.
However further work is required to collate the data to this question and there will be some delay as the information required in order to answer your question fully was not possible to be collated within the statutory deadline.

Flash Flooding Awareness (1)

Hina Bokhari: In June 2022 you announced that you were writing to 45,000 basement properties to urgently raise awareness and provide advice to prepare occupants in the event of a flood. Other than the London Fire Brigade what other organisations have you sought advice from?

The Mayor: The surface water flood roundtable I convened following the July 2021 flash floods established a task and finish group to examine the challenges of longer-term management of surface water flood risk in the context of climate change and recommend actions to address them. This included a specific workstream to identify and reduce risk to occupiers of vulnerable basement properties.
My officers sought advice from a number of organisations as part of the basement flash flood awareness raising campaign. This included the key Risk Assessment Management Authorities in London - the Environment Agency, Thames Water and the London Boroughs (for example, via the London Drainage Engineers Group – providing access to the Local Lead Flood Officers for London). London Resilience, London Councils and Transport for London were also informed and involved. Two formal meetings were held, firstly to introduce the campaign and its aims and secondly to discuss draft messaging.

Energy Schemes

Nick Rogers: How are your energy schemes responsibly delivering for Londoners?

The Mayor: My energy programmes are a key component of my work to create a cleaner, fairer and greener London. They are designed to make Londoners homes warmer and more affordable, London’s workplaces more energy efficient, and our energy supply cleaner and more local.
The schemes have a particular focus on supporting the most vulnerable Londoners, particularly those in fuel poverty.
I am delivering for low-income Londoners through my £43 million Warmer Homes Programme – supporting better insulation and low carbon heating in thousands of homes across the city.
My Warmer Homes Advice Service has supported over 15,000 Londoners facing high energy bills through telephone and in-home advice, support with managing energy debt, and access to discounts on their bills.
My Fuel Poverty Partnership brings together experts across the health, social justice, community, and environment sectors to guide London’s work to tackle fuel poverty.
I am supporting over 1,800 Londoners in Social Housing through my Retrofit Accelerator Homes programme, with whole-house retrofits creating warm, affordable and ultra-low carbon homes.
I have supported over 2,000 homeowners to benefit from renewable energy through Solar Together London, which is now in its fifth and biggest phase, with over 3,500 households registered.
London has attracted over £170 million in Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme funding, thanks in part to support from my Retrofit Accelerator Workplaces programme, which helps public sector organisations to develop decarbonisation and energy efficiency plans.
I am supporting the increase of clean, local energy supplies through my £6 million Local Energy Accelerator, which develops renewably-powered district energy networks, heat pump and solar projects.
My Business Climate Challenge supports companies to cut energy use, with average consumption cut by 16 per cent last year by participants – and the Challenge is being expanded this year.

Intensification of Industrial Land (1)

Sakina Sheikh: Are you considering the creation of a GLA fund to co-invest with developments to provide stacked industrial floorspace to catalyse the intensification of industrial land to provide the capacity London needs?

The Mayor: GLA officers have commissioned PwC to support the preparatory work for the expansion of my Land Fund. This work seeks to formulate private and public co-investment opportunities across a range of different focus points which are aligned to GLA policy priorities, including industrial intensification.
At present officers have just finished engaging with a range of industrial tenants, landowners and developers to understand the opportunities and barriers they see with industrial intensification, as well as to understand what role they would like the GLA to play as a co-investor in this field. Next steps include the analysis of this market feedback and an options appraisal to support the formulation of a procurement strategy. We are hoping to launch the procurement of this co-investment vehicle at the beginning of next year.

Wood Burning Health Costs

Hina Bokhari: A recent article uncovered that air pollution from wood burning in homes is responsible for £0.9bn a year in health-related damages in the UK. Will you undertake research to understand the same value for London?

The Mayor: As part of the Defra funded research and communication campaign, research will be carried out to determine the health burden in London attributable to wood burning. The project team will be carrying out a procurement exercise shortly to contract a research institute to undertake this research. The findings from this research will be used in future behaviour change communication campaigns.

London's Markets (6)

Neil Garratt: When was the last meeting of the London Markets Board and when will the next one be held?

The Mayor: The final meeting of my inaugural London Markets Board was held in June 2021. Following an open recruitment process I will be announcing my next London Markets Board in the coming weeks, with the first meeting scheduled for September 2022.

Southwark Bus Frequencies

Caroline Pidgeon: What was the weekday daily number of buses passing through (a) Canada Water, (b) Elephant and Castle and (c) Dulwich Library in 2016? Please also set out if any modelling has been done to determine the expected daily number of buses passing through (a), (b) and (c) if the proposed changes to the central and inner London bus network are implemented.

The Mayor: Routes and the number of buses by the locations you required in 2016 are as follows:
There have been a number of changes to routes through these locations since 2016, including the central London changes in 2019. There have also subsequently been frequency reductions on high frequency routes to better match service level to demand level, and make savings required by Government. This has enabled the reallocation of spare resource to other parts of London. The Mayor’s Hopper Fare also now means that passengers can interchange between buses for free within one hour of first boarding a bus.
The expected number of weekday buses passing through these three locations if the proposed changes to the central and inner London bus network are implemented (including the previously consulted scheme containing changes to routes 1, 168 and 188) is as follows:

The Withholding of Information by Responsible Persons

Hina Bokhari: Given fire safety inspecting officers cannot carry out intrusive surveys on buildings, how prevalent do you think the withholding of information by Responsible Persons is and how are City Hall and the LFB looking to address this?

The Mayor: While inspecting officers cannot carry out intrusive surveys on buildings, London Fire Brigade has significant powers under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Officers can require the production of information including the “significant findings of a Fire Risk Assessment” and serve enforcement notices requiring works be undertaken, including an intrusive survey by competent persons, where there are grounds to do so. Failure to provide information or to comply with an enforcement notice would be an offence under which a Responsible Person could be prosecuted.

End our Cladding Scandal Campaign’s ‘Dereliction of Duty’ Report

Hina Bokhari: You are yet to respond to the End Our Cladding Scandal campaign’s ‘Dereliction of Duty’ report, published in in February 2022. Why have you not yet responded and what action have you taken based on the relevant recommendations and concerns outlined in this important report?

The Mayor: I welcome the publication of End Our Cladding Scandal’s (EOCS) ‘Dereliction of Duty’ report, which covers the impact of the building safety crisis and the experience of leaseholders from 35 housing associations
The most notable challenges are in relation to customer service, poor communication and a lack of information, particularly in relation to insufficient transparency in the costs for interim safety measures and remediation costs that have been passed on to leaseholders.
My Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development Tom Copley will shortly be meeting with EOCS to discuss the concerns highlighted within the report.

New Street Trees in Enfield and Haringey

Joanne McCartney: How many new street trees have you helped deliver in Enfield and Haringey? What other urban greening schemes are you supporting in these boroughs?

The Mayor: Since becoming Mayor in 2016 I have supported the planting of more than 109,900 trees in Enfield and 5,500 trees in Haringey. The high number in Enfield is due to the significant woodland creation project at Enfield Chase (100,000 trees). I am also supporting the planting of a further 170 street trees in Haringey and 53 in Enfield in 2022/23.
Through my green space grant schemes, I have supported 6 projects in Enfield and 17 in Haringey since 2018. Details of projects funded can be found on the Greener City map. Through my Green and Resilient Spaces Fund I am also supporting improvements to Down Lane Park in Haringey, due to complete by March 2024.
10 schools in Haringey and 2 schools in Enfield are participating in my Climate Resilient Schools Programme which involves the installation of rain garden planters, and the preparation of climate adaption plans, in schools most at risk of surface water flooding.

Tube Noise

Joanne McCartney: What action is TfL taking to reduce noise pollution from the Victoria line in the Seven Sisters area of Tottenham?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) is aware of noise complaints in this area, and rail grinding was carried out in April and May 2022 to reduce rail corrugation (or roughness) and resulting noise. Following this work, TfL is looking to carry out further residential monitoring in this area to assess the impact of the grinding.
Rail corrugation, which is often the root cause of residential noise, is addressed by rail grinding, which works by smoothing rails and removing corrugation. TfL continuously monitors rail corrugation in this area, and when levels are increasing, looks to schedule rail grinding, within the constraints of its overall programme for the Tube network.

Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (3)

Hina Bokhari: Will you publish the letters you have written to leaseholders and housing associations about Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans?

The Mayor: I have written open letters to building owners and managers to remind them of the importance of the Grenfell Inquiry recommendations and Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs). The first was in March 2020 and the other in October 2021. These can be found on my website. My response to the consultation on PEEPs can also be found on my website along with a letter to the Prime Minister marking the fifth Grenfell anniversary in which I raised PEEPs.

Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (4)

Hina Bokhari: The Government states that fire wardens would need to be employed 24/7 at huge costs to tenants and leaseholders for PEEPs to be able to be put in place, so that a ‘competent’ person is always on hand. This is contradictory when there are 4 million unpaid carers in the UK who don’t have a ‘competency’ test. The National Fire Chiefs Council in their draft guidance mention the use of ‘buddies,’ known by the disabled person, such as friends, neighbours, which surely, where possible is a more practical and creative way of implementing PEEPs? What are your thoughts on this issue?

The Mayor: I am disappointed with government’s response to the PEEPs consultation, and I question its view that fire wardens would need to be employed 24/7. I would like to have seen government set up a working group with disabled residents and building owners and managers, undertake research and run pilot schemes to find different ways of implementing PEEPs as opposed to just refusing to mandate them.

Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (1)

Hina Bokhari: We know that 83% of consultation respondents to the Government’s Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEPs) Consultation were supportive of PEEPs, yet Government seemingly ignored this view and has decided that mandating PEEPs is not proportionate, practical, or safe. In the absence of a Government commitment on this will you ensure all disabled Londoners, in spite of building height, have PEEPs in place?

The Mayor: When I responded to government’s consultation on PEEPs last year, I called for PEEPs to be legally required in buildings of any height covered by the Fire Safety Order and for central funding so that the cost of PEEPs is not passed onto residents they are intended to protect. I am very disappointed in government’s decision not to mandate PEEPs. I wrote to the Prime Minister to express my concern and I will be responding to the consultation on Emergency Evacuation Information Sharing.
I am strongly of the view that PEEPs must be legislated for, as that is the only way to ensure they will be properly resourced and effectively implemented across the built environment. A nationwide protocol, guidance and training must then follow the legislation. I do not have the power to mandate PEEPs in London.

Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (2)

Hina Bokhari: Will you look at the enforcement measures City Hall and the LFB can take against landlords who are not implementing Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans?

The Mayor: Government’s failure to legislate for the requirement of residential PEEPs means that enforcement is not an option for any organisation or body.

Academy Hubs Programme (10)

Emma Best: How many people have been recruited into the health sector as a result of training from the North West London Health Care Partnership hubs?

The Mayor: The Mayor’s Academies Programme (MAP) is designed to help address skills shortages in sectors key to London’s COVID-19 recovery, including health, and to support Londoners most affected by the pandemic into good work. The hubs, including the North West London Integrated Care System (ICS), are currently rolling out delivery, with progress on their first full quarter of activity due to be reported at the end of July 2022. Hubs will be required to report on Londoners entering employment, apprenticeships or paid work placements in the Academies sectors, amongst other outputs. As some training will be undertaken before supporting learners into employment, we anticipate outcomes will be achieved later in the delivery cycle.

Academy Hubs Programme (11)

Emma Best: Please provide the total cost for the North West London Health Care Partnership cluster of hubs.

The Mayor: The Mayor’s Academies Programme (MAP) is designed to help address skills shortages in sectors key to London’s COVID-19 recovery, including health, and to support Londoners most affected by the pandemic into good work. The MAP health hub in the North West London Integrated Care System (ICS) is receiving £250,000 to fund coordination resource across sub-region.

Provision of Alternative Accommodation for Disabled Residents when Lifts are Being Repaired

Hina Bokhari: Will you support the idea of housing providers offering alternative accommodation while lifts are being fixed for London’s disabled residents?

The Mayor: The needs of disabled residents across the country need to be prioritised by housing providers and government. No person should be left unable to autonomously access or leave their homes. All housing providers should ensure maintenance and repairs are completed as quickly as possible and explore alternative options for disabled residents so any delays in repairs do not disproportionately affect them.
Additionally, I urge the government to implement personal emergency evacuation plans, a Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase I recommendation, to ensure disabled residents can safely self-evacuate their buildings.

Free School Meals (6)

Emma Best: Do you believe a child whose parent/s are top rate tax payers should receive free school meals?

The Mayor: School meals should be provided universally to all primary school children. As well as helping families through the cost-of-living crisis, research shows that making free school meals universal helps reduce stigma and boosts take up among families who need them most. In Newham, the take up of school meals rose from 45% to 90% following the introduction of universal FSM.
Providing universal FSM would ensure that all children receive at least one healthy meal a day. No other resources in school are means tested in the same way.
The public agrees. Recent polling released by the Children’s Food Campaign has found that 66% of UK adults think all children in primary schools should receive a free school lunch, which increases to 72% with reference to the cost of living and 73% with reference to Scotland and Wales’ individual commitments to universal FSM policies.

Supporting London’s Rivers (3)

Leonie Cooper: What more can be done to support London’s rivers and waterways, to keep them healthy and open to Londoners?

The Mayor: 15km of London’s rivers and waterways have been restored since 2016, representing significant advances in improving their health and accessibility. I have set an ambitious target to restore 40km of rivers and waterways by 2050 in my London Environment Strategy.
To achieve this, I am funding further projects to improve waterways and adjacent spaces through my Green and Resilient Spaces and Rewild London Funds. I have convened the London Rewilding Taskforce to explore further opportunities for ambitious projects, including those alongside waterways.
My London Plan policies SI 14 to 17 seek to protect and maximise the benefits of waterways as multifunctional assets. The Thames and London Waterways Forum promotes waterway use for sustainable growth and supports waterways-related policies and objectives set out in the London Plan and my Transport and Environment strategies.

Supporting London’s Rivers (2)

Leonie Cooper: How are you working with the Environment Agency, the Canal and River Trust, local councils, TfL and other partners to protect London’s rivers and waterways?

The Mayor: I have set policies in my London Plan which promote protection and enhancement of our “Blue Ribbon” network.
I have supported production of the Urban Wetland Design Guide providing practical advice on the design and maintenance of constructed wetlands for the purpose of mitigating pollution in our rivers.
As part of my Green New Deal, I am also investing in projects that create and improve blue spaces. This includes projects funded through my Grow Back Greener and Green and Resilient Spaces Funds.A Change Adaptation and Water’ theme funded 15 projects, such as cleaning up, restoring and naturalising water bodies including rivers, canals and ponds, constructing wetlands and installing green sustainable drainage features to reduce flood risk and store water. £700,000 has been awarded to the Southall Grand Union Canal Well-Being Way project linking and improving five green spaces along the Grand Union Canal towpath around Southall
My Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy has met with Thames Water leadership in July and raised her concerns on waterway health, and is meeting with OFWAT leadership in July to discuss priorities for London

Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation and Rivers

Leonie Cooper: How many of London’s Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs) are near its rivers?

The Mayor: Rivers and other waterways are some of London’s most valuable habitats for wildlife and the guidance I provide to boroughs on the identification of SINCs reflects this. As a consequence, many of London’s rivers and other waterways are designated as SINCs for their entire length along with their important bankside habitats.
There are over 1600 SINCs in London and there is currently no detailed breakdown of the number of SINCs that are rivers, that have rivers within their boundaries or that are close to rivers. I have asked my team to commission this analysis.

Poverty and Energy Price Cap Rise (2)

Leonie Cooper: Can you provide an estimate of how many more Londoners will be pushed into poverty after the additional price cap rise comes in after October 2022?

The Mayor: Please see response to Mayor’s Question 2022/2333.

Poverty and the Energy Price Cap Rise (1)

Leonie Cooper: Can you provide an estimate of how many more Londoners will be pushed into poverty between April 2022 and October 2022 with the latest rise in the energy price cap?

The Mayor: Please see response to Mayor’s Question 2022/2333.

Waste Crime in London

Leonie Cooper: Can you provide a breakdown (month by month and borough by borough) on how many times the Metropolitan Police have attended waste and recycling sites in London over the last three years?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service have advised that there is no specific code on the Crime Recording Information System that allows for recorded crimes at waste and recycling sites to be identified.

Domestic Abuse

Unmesh Desai: How many serving Metropolitan police officers are being investigated for domestic abuse?

The Mayor: There are currently 173 officers under investigation for domestic abuse allegations which are at different stages in the process.
152 officers are subject to live criminal/misconduct investigations.
There are a further 21 officers who have a case to answer for Gross Misconduct that are awaiting a Hearing.

Green Infrastructure Funding since 2016

Leonie Cooper: How much funding has been provided across London through your green infrastructure funding programmes since 2016? Please provide a borough by borough breakdown.

The Mayor: The total amount of funding provided to boroughs and other organisations through my green infrastructure funding programmes since 2016 is £20,716,818.
A breakdown of funding by borough based on the location of the projects is attached.

OPDC Local Plan

Sakina Sheikh: Following the approval of the OPDC’s Local Plan by the Planning Inspectorate, what are the next steps for the OPDC in regenerating that part of the capital?

The Mayor: With the Local Plan adopted and the Strategic Outline Business Case for regeneration at Old Oak West approved by government, OPDC’s primary focus is to step up its work with the relevant government departments to coordinate the major public landholdings around the High Speed 2 station to deliver a new urban district of thousands of homes, jobs and public amenities. To support this, OPDC is preparing a Supplementary Planning Document and will be holding public engagement across the autumn to work with local people to shape the plans.

New coronavirus infections

Caroline Russell: In response to my question 2022/1300 about public health protection measures to prevent ongoing coronavirus infections and reinfections, you told me there was: “No reason at all to even contemplate NPIs [non-pharmaceutical interventions]… the Government, OHID, UKHSA and ourselves keep this under review but at this stage I am not of the view that we should change the current advice.” Given that the latest data from the ONS shows 3.7 per cent of Londoners are testing positive – the highest percentage in the country – will you now change current advice and strengthen public health messaging on wearing masks and improving ventilation?

The Mayor: I continue to meet regularly with the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), UK Health Improvement and Security Agency (UKHSA) and NHS to monitor the situation closely.
UKHSA’s current advice is that there are simple things that Londoners can do to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections and protect those at highest risk. These include wearing a face covering in crowded, enclosed spaces and improving ventilation, as well as getting vaccinated, practicing good hand and respiratory hygiene. People are also advised to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if they feel unwell with symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as COVID-19.

Borough-wide Characterisation Studies (2)

Sakina Sheikh: Does the GLA have a recommended list of consultants boroughs can engage to undertake Borough-wide Characterisation Studies?

The Mayor: The GLA does not have a recommended list of consultants that specialise in undertaking character assessments/studies. While boroughs may wish to commission a consultant to undertake their Borough-wide Characterisation Study, they may also wish to develop their in-house capacity and resource to do so. Applying for a Public Practice associate/s, for instance, may assist in this regard. This may be advantageous when subsequently reviewing or updating the character study/assessment.

Peckham Police Station Sirens Noise Pollution – Data Request

Marina Ahmad: Constituents have complained about the noise disturbance caused by police sirens leaving the station at Peckham, particularly at night-time. How many complaints has the Metropolitan Police Service received about noise disturbance from sirens in 2021/22? Please provide a breakdown borough by borough.

The Mayor: Please see the table below.
Please note that the Department of Professional Standards only records this information at Basic Command Unit level, not individual boroughs.
BCU of incident - allegation count
2021/22
North Area Command Unit
1
South West Command Unit
3
West Area Command Unit
1
Unknown
1
Total
6

Free School Meals (5)

Emma Best: Can you provide the costs for making free school meals universal for all children in London?

The Mayor: In order to understand the full cost for providing universal free school meals for all primary school children in London, further research would need to be undertaken. Universal Infant Free School Meals provides school meals to all pupils up to year 2. The cost of this programme is £400 per pupil per year (at £2.34 per pupil per meal), plus £175 million of capital spending for kitchen improvements in the first three years.
The investment in children is shown to have long term economic benefits, not to mention the impact on child health outcomes, attainment and absenteeism. The World Food Programme found that for every 100,000 children receiving school meals, an average of 1,668 jobs is created. Economies of scale can also make large savings. When Islington introduced universal FSM, it re-tendered its catering contract on a joint contract with Camden, which saved them £1m per year.

Free School Meals (4)

Emma Best: What are you doing to encourage uptake of free school meals for those that are eligible in London?

The Mayor: My Cost of Living Hub provides vital information about financial help that Londoners can access. The Hub is being promoted through a social media campaign and members of the London Recovery Board have committed to promoting the hub to their employees and service users.
The Hub has a specific section on help with food costs that signposts free school meals for those who are eligible. However, the most obvious way to increase uptake is to make every child eligible. Multiple London councils and the Welsh government, who understand the vast benefits of this, are already leading the way and showing what can be done if we put the health and wellbeing of our young people first. It is time for our government to step up.

Free School Meals (7)

Emma Best: What have you done to support, create and sustain Breakfast Clubs in London?

The Mayor: Please see response to MQ 2022/2631 for information on the inclusion of breakfast clubs in my Healthy Schools London programme.
Kitchen Social is a programme run by the Mayors Fund for London, a charity I am Patron of, that addresses the growing and serious issue of children and young people facing food insecurity and social isolation outside of term time. The programme gives children and young people a safe place to go during the school holidays where they can socialise, make new friends and get a free, healthy meal.

Wood Burning Stoves Awareness Campaign

Hina Bokhari: Recent research uncovered that at least 40,000 early deaths across Europe can be attributed to wood burning. These shocking figures shine a light on the urgent need for a public educational awareness campaign on the dangers of domestic wood burning before more lives are lost. Will you bring forward the research element of the project so that behaviour change and awareness can happen as soon as possible?

The Mayor: I am already acting on this urgent matter- my officers have been working with Impact on Urban Health to develop a strategy aimed at shifting public behaviour to reduce the negative health impacts associated with woodburning. As part of this we are developing a £125,000 behaviour change and communications campaign to be launched later in 2022. The lessons from this campaign will be incorporated into the Defra funded communications campaign in 2023.
The research element of the Defra funded project started in April 2022 with the dedicated awareness raising campaign starting in 2023.

Free School Meals (1)

Emma Best: Have you considered how Breakfast Clubs could play a key part in creating successful School Street projects and consider including funding for them in future projects (where appropriate)?

The Mayor: Many of the schools taking part in my Healthy Schools London programme offer breakfast clubs. There are currently 2278 schools registered on the programme, across 32 boroughs.
In order to achieve the Healthy Schools London bronze award, schools must provide pupils with food that meets the food-based standards for school lunches, and school food other than lunches such as breakfast clubs if they are offered. The Healthy Schools London programme provides support to schools and Local Authority Healthy Schools Leads about how to establish and run healthy breakfast clubs with signposting to resources, case studies and inspirational films on the website.

Digital Exclusion (3)

Emma Best: Which London boroughs do you feel are using best practice in making sure older Londoners are not digitally excluded from vital services?

The Mayor: There are many London boroughs supporting older Londoners with access to digital services and the skills they need to get online. I welcome the work of the London borough of Merton for example who have developed the ‘Connecting Merton’ project that has seen a high take up from older Londoners facing digital exclusion by training and loaning their residents with laptops, tablets and voice recognition technology, such as Amazon Echo Shows from the borough’s libraries, as well as providing internet access.
The London Office for Technology and Innovation has produced a Digital Inclusion paper providing an open resource for boroughs and others to improve data and insight into exclusion which is the first substantial review of digital inclusion initiatives currently underway in the city. Their research shows that there are well over 100 local programmes across London, focusing on mentoring, device-giving and outreach and delivered by councils, community groups and the corporate sector.
I encourage all London boroughs to work closely with Age UK who are leading on a campaign to ensure older Londoners to gain equal access to online services.
Also, please see my answer to 2022/2629.

Free School Meals (3)

Emma Best: Instead of campaigning for all children, including children of millionaires to have a free school lunch, would your time, energy and political capital not be better spent focusing on projects supporting children in London whose parents are struggling to make ends meet?

The Mayor: I am committed to supporting London’s families through the cost-of-living crisis, which is why I am calling for the introduction of universal free school meals (FSM) for primary school children.
Research shows that making FSM universal helps reduce stigma and boosts take up among families who need them most. In Newham, take up of school meals rose from 45% to 90% following the introduction of universal FSM.
I have also called on Government to restore the meal voucher scheme for those eligible for FSMs across holidays, to lift the benefit cap and remove the two-child limit, abolish the no recourse to public funds conditions, and extend eligibility to Healthy Start Vouchers and the Warmer Homes Discount to everyone on Universal Credit.

Free School Meals (2)

Emma Best: Do you know how many London schools use pre-loaded charge cards for school meals?

The Mayor: The Greater London Authority does not collect, hold, or have access to this data. However, you may wish to contact individual local authorities who may do so.

London’s Green Corridors

Leonie Cooper: What plans do you have to increase the number of green corridors across London? Please list the different schemes.

The Mayor: I am supporting the creation of green corridors with my Green and Resilient Spaces, Rewild London and Grow Back Greener grants.
Green and Resilient Spaces projects include: Lambeth Bee Roads, creating green highways for pollinators across Lambeth; Grand Union Canal Well-Being Way in Southall, linking five green spaces along an improved canal towpath and Morden Green Corridor, opening up and improving a currently inaccessible green space to connect with the Wandle Valley green corridor.
Rewild London projects include: Greenway Pollinator Trail in Newham, creating a 7km corridor of pollinator habitats; Spider Park Wildlife Corridor in Hillingdon and North Camberwell Wildlife Corridor in Southwark, greening underused spaces through the Elmington Estate.
Grow Back Greener projects include: Royal Docks Grass Routes, creating a corridor of green spaces across the Royal Docks and Swinbrook Estate Greening in Kensington and Chelsea, creating a green street as the starting point for a ‘bee superhighway’.

Free School Meals (10)

Emma Best: Please can you provide the latest uptake figures of free school meals (of those eligible) broken down by London borough?

The Mayor: In the attached table, the number of students known to be eligible for FSM, as well as the number of eligible students taking a FSM on census day, is recorded and broken down by borough, alongside the pan London and national figures. Over 20% of those eligible in London are not making use of FSM.
Providing universal FSM is associated with reduced stigma and increased uptake of school meals in general. The Institute for Social and Economic Research has found that the introduction of FSM for pupils up to Year 2 has resulted in increased take up of school meals from just over 30% to 85% in pupils previously ineligible, which would suggest that the cost of approximately £2.30 per meal was a strong disincentive to eating a school meal for a large proportion of families.

The Mayor: Free School Meals (10) MQ 2022 2639 - Table.xlsx

Free School Meals (8)

Emma Best: Do you agree that Breakfast Clubs alleviate congestion in London by allowing more parents to avoid peak travelling times?

The Mayor: Breakfast clubs may relieve congestion by spreading the arrival of students over a longer period in the morning. However, I am not aware of any research to support this.
My School Streets initiative restricts car access to the street outside a school during peak times. This enables children to reach school in a cleaner, healthier and safer way.
There are now more than 500 School Streets in place. Thanks to School Streets and other measures, walking is now the main way 58 per cent of children aged 5-11 in London get to school, according to TfL analysis.

Access to Green Space for Londoners (1)

Hina Bokhari: Population density in some parts of London, for example on the Isle of Dogs in Tower Hamlets, is projected to increase significantly over the course over the next few years. What measures are being taken to ensure that any increases in population density are matched by sufficient increases in access to green space?

The Mayor: I agree that to meet the demands of population growth, it’s essential to deliver the infrastructure needed alongside new homes. Therefore my London Plan 2021 is underpinned by the principle of ‘Good Growth’, meaning growth that is socially and economically inclusive and environmentally sustainable. This is embedded throughout the plan including Policy G4 Open Space.
Ensuring access to green space keeps up with demand is primarily a matter for boroughs. Their Local Plans should: undertake a needs assessment to identify areas of public open space deficiency; include appropriate designations and policies for the protection of open space; and promote the creation of new areas of publicly-accessible green space, especially in areas with the potential for substantial change. This will help ensure that development provides socially integrated, healthy environments that keep London a liveable city.
The Urban Greening Factor introduced by Policy G5 promotes an overall increase in green infrastructure, which may include green space.

Warmer Homes for Digitally Excluded Londoners

Hina Bokhari: What specific outreach work is being done to make digitally excluded Londoners, who are more disproportionately affected by fuel poverty, aware of the Warmer Homes Scheme?

The Mayor: I am hugely concerned about the impact the soaring cost of living is having on Londoners and I know this will hit low-income households the hardest. My £43m Warmer Homes programme provides free heating, insulation and ventilation improvements for Londoners on low incomes.